Total Drama Fire Island
by The Ben Who Must Not Be Named
Summary: With Chris working in the shadows, Topher takes over as host. He starts his reign on an island covered in flames and volcanos. What drama can happen there when everything ends in flames? Find out on Total Drama Fire Island!
1. Prologue: Enemies Behind Enemies

**Disclaimer: In this chapter, I only own the thing unseen. Other than that, everything else is not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Hey guys! I'm here and ready for a new Total Drama Series! This is only the prologue, so sorry for a lack of episode. Still, this will warm you up for the main plot and villain. Also the protagonist. You'll see what I mean.**

 **Also, I've changed a few things for the initial series. For those of you who know, I put a journal entry on my DA account, just so you know.**

OC's will appear soon…

Prologue: Enemies Behind Enemies

In some undisclosed location, a meeting was being held. It was a stage with three chairs gathered around a table. A light hung above them, shining each of their faces. They turned out to be Total Drama host, Chris McClain, Redonculous Race Host, Don, and official TV producer, Blainely O'Halloren.

"Ah, it's good to be part of the big leagues now," Chris smirked, setting down a glass of wine he had been drinking.

"You're your own boss now," Blainely giggled. "Finally, we own Total Drama. We control what we can and cannot do."

Don smirked. "And we have access to anywhere in the world, thanks to me," Don said.

"Question is, what should our next theme be?" Chris questioned. "We've done the world, we've done movies, and we've over used all of our contestants."

"I agree," Don said. "We need something fresh."

"And Blainorific," Blainely added.

Suddenly, the light above them flickered. The three adults looked around, confused by this. Suddenly, the door behind them burst open. They all turned to see a tall boy standing in the door frame. They were shocked to see him.

"Who are you?" Chris demanded. Suddenly, something flashed and Chris yelped in pain. A scratch appeared on his face, which he grasped.

"You don't need to know," came a raspy voice that seemed to have a bit of joy in it. The boy in question was hunched over and wore jeans with a long sleeved sweater. He had long silver hair was fell a bit over his face. Under his hair were two glowing yellow eyes. He had a thin evil smile permanent over his face.

He walked closer to the table. A screeching could be heard from behind him. It turned out that he had two long swords hanging in scabbards on his back. The tips of the swords scraped on the floor, making the three wince.

He walked to a far wall and grabbed a chair. With a yank, it flew across the room and fell at an empty spot of the table. He slowly walked over to it and stood next to it. He drew both his long swords and stabbed them on either side of the chair. He slid into it and stared at the three adults.

"You are the hosts, correct?" he said.

"Well, ex-hosts," Don said. "We now control what happens from behind the scenes."

The boy's eyes seemed to gleam. "Ah. You are interesting," he said, his smile widening. "You're show. It'll be perfect."

Balinely raised an eyebrow. "For what? We don't even know you're name," she said.

"No need to," the boy said. "If you are behind the scenes, we need a host. And new contestants. We can't have anyone suspecting anything."

"Um, hello. We'd like to know how you are first," Chris said. He yelped in pain again and another scratch appeared on his face. The boy huffed, letting go of his right sword. Chris didn't remember seeing him reach for it in the first place.

"What you need to know is this. There is a collection of nine islands not far from here," the boy said. "There has been a request for me to seek them out and achieve items of value. What they are serve you no mind. What you do need… I am willing to pay."

This made the three hosts beam. "We need a million each, plus a million for the cash money prize for the contestants," Chris said. "And cash to buy the islands."

The boy nodded. "Very well," he said. "Don, you will handle the checks for the island and maintain our status without acting suspicious. You buy the islands as well. Chris, you'll be my front man. You make sure whichever host we select does not get suspicious. Blainely, select the contestants. We must keep up appearances."

"Sounds like a deal," Don nodded.

"One question. Who are you? Why is this so important to you?" Blainely asked.

The boy's eyes seemed to gleam evil. "My name is Quiltal," he said. "And I want to reunite with my brother to destroy all of existence."

Inside a house in another undisclosed location, there was a kitchen. A young man was pacing inside his kitchen, sighing. He pet his orange cat on the table. "Morning Chef," he sighed. He sat at his dining table.

The young man was Topher, who sighed as he looked up at his wall. It was covered in pictures from his season on Total Drama. One contestant was shown prominently. He hadn't seen her for two years…

Topher was startled when he felt his cell phone vibrate. He shook away his thoughts and reached down into his pocket and pull it out. He was surprised to see Chris' caller ID was shown. He flipped his phone open and said, "Hello? Topher speaking."

"Topher! Good to hear from you again," Chris' voice said. "Listen, I have an offer for you that's going to make you famous!"

"Um… already famous Chris. I was on your show, after all," Topher said.

"You mean you're show," Chris said. Topher nearly dropped the phone from hearing that.

"Wait…" Topher said.

"How would you like to be the official host of Total Drama?"

Topher couldn't believe this. It was his dream to host the show in place of Chris. He could see himself now, rich and famous, owning the hottest show in the universe. He looked at his wall one more time.

"I'd be honored!" he said, smiling. "Under… one condition."

 **BN: And that ends the prologue. I'm sure it's not what you expected, but this is the beginning of the new Island series. You're probably asking a lot of questions. Who's this new villain? What are these items he wants? Who is Topher looking at on his wall? Who are the contestants going to be? To answer that… you'll have to wait and see! This was to get the real plot going. I'll post the first episode in a little while when I'm not too busy.**

 **Like? Hate? Meh? Let me know in a review! Or don't! Either works!**


	2. E1 P1: As Hot As Hell

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the 14 OCs that compete in this fic and Quiltal from the prologue.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And now it's time to become official! First OC fic. I have to admit, I always thought it would be the story that comes after TDASB that would be my first. But, this works! I also want to let you guys know that I plan on switching between my three major stories based entirely on what I am feeling. As of now, it is on this fic. It might change quick, but I enjoy this cast, so hopefully I can update this one quickly. Enjoy the chapter!**

Time to burn!

E1 P1: As Hot As Hell

A camera turned on in the middle of nowhere. It was on an island that was covered in brown rock and ash. Small fires were set ablaze across the island and a path was carved. A small, singed dock was sitting on the side of the island, sticking out in the ocean. In the distance, a grey island sat, waiting patiently.

A young man walked up to appear on the camera. He had on a navy blue long sleeved shirt and tan khaki pants. He had dirty blonde hair that curled upwards. He had a smile on his face.

"Hello to viewers across the whole world," he said with a grin. "My name is Topher, and I'd like to welcome you to yet another season of the show you all know and love, Total Drama! I've been requested by Chris McClain himself to host a new set of seasons featuring a set of islands found by a mysterious source. But who cares about that? Fourteen brand new contestants have been hand selected by another unnamed source and have to put up with each other for two weeks as we explore the first of these islands!"

"Hey! Don't hog the camera!" someone snapped. Topher turned to see two girls walk on screen who looked very much alike. They both wore red cheerleader outfits and had long blonde hair. The only difference between them was that one had a mole.

Topher shook his head. "Why did Chris give me _both_? I only asked for the one," he muttered to himself. He then said louder, "I was only introducing the show. Kind of my job, you know. Since Chris chose _me_ to host it."

The one with a mole rolled her eyes. "Whatever. He invited me to come keep an eye on you," she snarked.

"I _asked_ him to Amy. And I only asked for…" Topher tried saying.

"So, what? You going to stand their awkwardly? Come on, introduce us!" Amy said angrily. Topher rolled his eyes and winked at the other girl. Said girl blushed shyly.

"The annoying one is past contestant Amy," Topher said, smirking when Amy pouted angrily. "The shy one and the one I actually _want_ to be here is Same… I mean _, Sammy_."

"Um… you don't _have_ to call me by my… real name. None of the audience will recognize it anyway…" Sammy said awkwardly.

"Besides, she's only a copy of me," Amy said, smirking.

Rubbing his eyes, Topher said, "Moving on from that false statement, what kind of contestants will we have this season? What will the teams be like? Will this new island have some weird locations? And which of these saps will win the million? Find out this season, on Total Drama Fire Island!"

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

"Why do we reuse that theme song?" Amy complained. "It got old seasons ago!"

"They cut the middle part, so at least it's now condensed," Topher pointed out.

Amy stared at him. "That's the dumbest argument I've ever had," she muttered.

Topher rolled his eyes and looked at the camera with a strained grin. "I'm stuck with her for nine #$% seasons. Don't envy me."

"I live with her. You know nothing," Sammy said quietly.

Topher offered the shyer twin a sad smile then showed his really white teeth to the camera. He then noticed a big yacht come toward the dock. He grinned once it was docked and ready to go. "Time to introduce our contestants! First up, you might have seen her somewhere before, it's Tara!"

A girl walked out of the yacht and onto the dock. She had black hair done up in a bun. She was wearing a light blue short sleeved shirt with black lacey patterns on the top. She also had a lacey black cover jacket over her arms. She also had a black skirt. She seemed disgusted.

"Tch. Why did my agent sign me up for this? I'm _already_ famous. I have no reason to be here," she muttered, walking over to Topher. Topher seemed to be excited and biting his lip while Sammy seemed to have the same reaction. "Um… hello? Brainless idiots who work for a dumb #$% show?" Tara grumbled.

Amy rolled her eyes. "These idiots are fans of yours, apparently. I can't say I recognize you. Whatever you acted in must have been a piece of #$%," she muttered.

Tara moaned. "Trust me, it _was_ ," she said, blushing in embarrassment. "I played Midnight Twinkle in _My Little Brony_."

Amy's mouth dropped. "The show about girls obsessing over guys who like little girl cartoons?" she laughed, making Tara blush even more.

"Magenta Custard was my personal favorite, but you came next," Topher said, still grinning like an idiot."

"Mutters was my favorite…" Sammy said quietly.

Tara rolled her eyes, shaking her head in defeat. "I hate my life," she muttered.

Topher shook his head and smiled. "Hopefully you enjoyed Tara, because next up, we have Boomer!" A somewhat tall boy walked out onto the dock. He had a big body and head and he had short cut brown hair. He wore slightly tatter orange T-shirt and nice yellow pants. He had a brown stubble on his chin. He was grinning like an idiot.

"HI! I'M BOOMER!" he boomed loudly. Amy and Tara both covered their ears while Topher only winced.

"Nice to meet you Boomer. You sure are loud, aren't you?" Topher asked.

"OF COURSE I'M LOUD! ONLY VOLUME WE SHOULD EVER BE IN!" he yelled. "I HOPE THE OTHER CONTESTANTS WON'T GO DEAF!"

"Too late," Tara muttered.

"OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT! I'M BOOMER!" he said, strolling over to Tara. Tara backed up farther from the loud teen until he eventually caught up and wrapped her up in a hug. "NICE TO MEET A FELLOW COMPETITOR!"

"Let go of me, you slob! I'm a famous celebrity! I can't be treated this way!" Tara screamed. Boomer promptly put Tara down, looking guilty.

"SORRY ABOUT THAT! I'M A BIT OF A HUGGER! I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE FAMOUS!" he said apologetically.

"Makes someone in the world," she muttered.

Another contestant had exited the yacht and made his way down the dock. He had green hair that was done in spikes. He wore a purple tank top and short white shorts and a pair of orange sandals. He is smirking evilly.

"Everyone, here's Randall!" Topher announced.

" _Remember Randall. Act like you're hiding something,"_ he thought. He said aloud, "Hey guys! It's nice to finally be able to see those I'm about to brutally mur… I mean, play this game with! You guys seem very killa… I mean, likable."

Boomer smiled and ran up to Randall to give him a bear hug. Randall screeched when Boomer had scooped him up. "Let go of me, you #$% b… I mean, please put me down. I don't like being touched," she said.

Boomer let go, looking guilty. "SORRY! I JUST LIKE MAKING NEW FRIENDS!" he said.

"I understand. Friends make fun vict… I mean, companions," Randall said with a smile.

Tara raised an eyebrow. "Why do you keep changing your thoughts mid-sentence?" Tara asked.

Randall looked over to the girl and gasped. "OMG! You're Tara Armstrong! You're the worst act… I mean, _best_ actor in _My Little Brony_!"

Tara groaned. "Is Boomer the only one who doesn't know me?!"

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T WATCH DRAMATIC GIRL SHOWS!" Boomer admitted.

"Maybe this next contestant doesn't either, because here's Angelina!" Topher announced. Another girl exited from the yacht. Her blonde hair is everywhere. She wore a black short sleeved shirt with red stripes that was crooked and a black skirt not even. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was in a creepy smile.

"Hi! Hi! Hi! Monkeys! How are you guys?!" she asked excitedly.

"I'm misri… I mean, I'm splendid," Randall said.

"Kill me, #$%it," Tara muttered.

"I'M FINE! SO NICE TO MEET YOU!" Boomer said. He was about to rush her with a hug when she rushed him instead. She hugged him tightly.

"You're cuddly! I like cuddles!" she said, letting go. "Who wants to watch clouds turn into flying magicians?"

Randall looked at Tara. "Is this girl on dr… I mean, insane?" he asked.

Tara shrugged. "I don't give a #$%," she said. "I just want to freaking kill myself for being on this #$% show."

"Then why were you a b… I mean, why did you sign up?" Randall asked.

Tara groaned. "I didn't, you idiot. My #$% agent did. Now shut up!"

Topher blinked at the two contestants. "Yeah, keep the swearing down. Kids watch this show," he said. "Next up, we have Nora!" A girl walked onto the dock. She was African who wore a black ninja outfit. Everything was covered in black. She seemed to have a black glow come off of her.

"I will do… what I was born… to do," she sighed. She approached the contestants, and was promptly hugged by Boomer.

"HI! I'M BOOMER! I LIKE LOUD STUFF!" he said. "YOU'RE OK WITH BEING HUGGED, RIGHT?"

Nora sighed. "No. But you shouldn't hug people. You don't know if you're strength will kill people. After all, you wouldn't want dead people on your conscience."

Boomer gasped and dropped Nora. "HOLY CRAP! YOU'RE RIGHT!" He turned to the other three contestants. "I'M SORRY IF I ALMOST KILLED YOU WITH MY FUN LOVING HUGS! I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE FRIENDLY!"

Tara face palmed. "This guy is a #$% idiot," she muttered.

Nora looked over at Tara. "You swear because you are insecure of your surroundings and hate the fact you have to appear on T.V. to ever be noticed by anyone, including your own parents."

Tara's jaw dropped. "Why you little #$%." Tara growled.

"Aw, don't fight! Smile! Like me!" Angelina said, smiling as big as she could.

Nora turned to Angelina. "You're happy because you are worth nothing to the world. You have to pretend to make people think you do something in society," she said.

Angelina continued to smile. "Cool!"

Nora blinked. "Wait…"

"Moving on!" Topher interrupted. "Next contestant we are going introduce, Jackal!" A boy exited the yacht. He is wearing a shirt split in the middle, one side dark navy blue, the other bright yellow. His pants were the same, one side green and the other pink. He wore a mask, covering his face and hair. It was a painted on face that looked chipper and happy.

"Hey guys!" said the guy beneath the mask. "I'm Jackal! I'm hoping that all this season's villains won't get too far!"

"HEY JACKAL! I'D HUG YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ACCIDENTALLY KILL YOU!" Boomer said.

"I would not worry about it, my friend," Jackal said. "Although, who said you would accidentally killed people?"

"She did," Randall said, pointing to Nora. Then, he covered his mouth. " #$%! Did I give it away?"

Jackal seemed to stare at Nora for a moment. He then approached her and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you," he said.

Nora stared blankly at him. "You're actually a villain, pretending to be the hero so you can cause drama and have a massive fan base who like you both as a hero and a villain," she said.

Jackal took a step back in shock. However, as he was wearing a mask, no one could see his true reaction of panic. However, he recovered and said, "Please! You wish I were a villain so votes could be off _your_ back."

"You wear a mask to hide you're true identity," Nora pointed out.

Jackal was about to respond when Angelina suddenly appeared between them with pencils sticking out of her nose. "Hey guys! Look what I found! My nose has the ability to write!" she said giddily.

"I can certainly see that," Jackal remarked. "Perhaps we should continue this lovely conversation another time." Nora only stared.

"Why are these contestants #$% insane?" Amy asked. " _We_ weren't this bad when we competed!"

"Hypocrite," Topher grumbled. "Next up, Bruce!"

From the yacht came yet another guy. He was a black haired boy who was cleanly shaven and had short hair. He wears a blue shirt with a green peace symbol on it. He wears a worn brown jacket as well as dirty blue jeans. He has a slight smile on his face.

However, before he could introduce himself, Angelina jumped on top of him with an excited grin. "HI!" she said.

"Well hello," he chuckled.

"Perv," Tara muttered.

"You accuse others for things that you yourself are," Nora said emotionlessly.

"Ok, you're so #$%," Tara growled, stomping toward the girl. But before she could reach her destination, Bruce quickly ran in-between them.

"Don't fight. I literally just got here," he said. "I don't want any conflict. If we have a disagreement, why don't we just work it out?"

"You want to work things out because you hurt many people in your past and want to redeem yourself, and yet you know you will utterly fail," Nora said.

Bruce stared at her for a moment. "I admit, I did handle things incorrectly with issues form my past," he admitted. "But it's best not to have conflicts. I won't get involved unless it's necessary."

"COOL! I CAN RESPECT THAT!" Boomer boomed.

"Sure. A peace maker. Why not throw an insufferable piece of… I mean, yay! Peace!" Randall said.

Amy rolled her eyes. "Seriously, what the #$% was Chris thinking when he selected these idiots?" Amy asked.

"What was he thinking when he assigned you to work for me?" Topher grumbled. "Our next contestant, yet another guy, is Jeremy!"

Said boy walked out of the yacht and on the dock. The High Pitched Tenor- He was wearing a tux with a black bow-tie. He had dirty blonde hair that was neatly combed. He seemed very confident and a twinkle in his eye.

" _Hello_ ," he sang in a high voice. Tara gagged herself while Boomer grinned.

"HEY! THAT'S PRETTY COOL THAT YOU CAN SING THAT HIGH!" he said.

"Why thank you," Jeremy said, smiling. "I pride myself in my ability in music. I am hoping to form a quartet while I'm here. If a talent show challenge ever arrives, then we'd be set."

"AWESOME SAUCE! COULD I BE IN IT?" Boomer asked.

Jeremy shrugged with a smile. "We'll have to see," he said.

"So let me get this #$% straight. I have to deal with a loud guy, a girl who doesn't know boundaries, a kid in a mask, and a boy who thinks singing is cool?" Tara asked, irritated.

"Just how the dice is rolled," Topher said.

"Besides, what's the worse that could happen? Not me hurting people subtly, that certainly isn't what's going to happen," Randall said shiftily.

"Don't even get me started on you," Tara growled.

"Next up, finally introducing another girl, Sherry!" Topher said. A girl exited the yacht. She had blonde hair with orange dyed on the sides. She wore a simple white blouse and black skirt. She seemed to ponder something intently.

"She's insane," Nora said.

"Would you please shut up?!" Tara growled.

"Fish can fly, so your argument is highly invalid," Sherry said. Tara looked at Sherry for a moment before falling to the ground and banging her face in.

"WHY AM I SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS?!" she screamed.

"HEY, THAT'S REALLY LOUD!" Boomer said happily.

"No, it's really quiet. Try being louder so Saturn can hear you make toast," Sherry said. Boomer thought about this for a moment.

"GREAT IDEA! HEY SATURN! I CAN MAKE TOAST!" Boomer yelled as loud as he could.

Jackal looked at Sherry carefully. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Screwing gravity," she said as she suddenly started to float in mid-air. Everyone gasped at that, to which she giggled. "Just kidding! This is real life! And we all know frogs can lay eggs when dancing in the desert!" And with that, she fell flat on the ground with a THUD.

"WHOA. THAT THUD WAS LOUD!" Boomer said.

"Our next contestant goes by the name of Kellie!" Topher announced. A girl stepped onto the dock. She had fiery red hair that was cut super short. Her outfit was red hot with orange hues scattered across her outfit, which was a short sleeved shirt and skirt. She looked angry.

"You guys looking at me? Why the #$% are you looking at me? I'M NOT ANGRY!" she snapped. Several of the contestants promptly looked away. However, once in particular just had to be a complete moron.

"You're angry because even anger management didn't want you," Nora said. Kellie fumed, grabbed a giant rock from nearby, and threw it at her. Nora simply stepped to the side, where it impacted to her face.

"You were supposed to miss," Nora muttered.

"I DON'T MISS WHEN I'M TICKED OFF!" Kellie screamed.

"THAT'S LOUD! IF I WASN'T SO TERRIFIED I'D WANT TO MEET THIS GIRL!" Boomer said.

"It's suicide. Don't talk to her," Jackal warned.

However, it was too late. Kellie was walking toward the others when someone fell ontop of her. She groaned angrily as she was flattened to the ground. Angelina smiled at the others. "Hey look! I made a human pancake!" she said happily.

"WHY YOU SICK LITTLE #$%!" Kellie screamed and reached to grab her. Angelina quickly dashed away from her, giggling.

"You're funny," she said.

Topher rubbed his eyes. "Is the season over yet?" he muttered.

"Um… it just started…" Sammy said shyly.

"Don't remind me. Ever," Topher groaned. "Next up, we have Bernard!" Another boy walked out of the yacht. He has scruffy blonde hair and a pair of green glasses. He has a scruffy beard and his ears were hidden under his side burns. He wore a dark maroon shirt with the word 'NO!' in green lettering. He has a scowl on his face.

All of the contestants looked at him. He looked back. His scowl deepened. "What?" he asked, somewhat angrily.

"Where did you get the cash in your pockets?" Jackal asked. Bernard looked down to see his pockets overflowing with cash.

"Oh that. There's this rich girl on board. She had too much money on her, so I took some off her hands," Bernard shrugged.

"I'M NOT SMART, BUT ISN'T THAT THEFT?" Boomer said.

"No. It's simply taking something I find. I _don't_ have problems," Bernard said firmly. He walked down and stood next to Tara. A perverted grin crossed his face. "Hey gorgeous. Want to do the…"

"Stop talking or I'll tell Kellie something that will tick her off so much she'll remove you're limbs. One. By. One," Tara grumbled.

"Who's Kellie? She have a hot bod?" Bernard asked hungrily.

"You don't know who I am? WHAT THE #$%!" Kellie screamed. Bernard turned and screamed. He ran from an enraged Kellie, who was picking up rocks and chucking them at him.

"This is why I don't engage in conflict," Bruce said, wincing when a rock hit Bernard in the head. "Too much pain."

"Next up, Gracie!" Topher said, also wincing when Kellie threw a rock into Bernard's groin, making him fall on the ground and moan in pain. A girl stepped onto the dock. She wore a rich yellow shirt with a white bunny picture on it along with a light yellow skirt. She had blonde hair which was long and curly. She was smiling.

"HEY! SHE LOOKS KIND OF PRETTY!" Boomer said with a goofy grin.

"Keep you're opinions to yourself, dumb #$%," Tara muttered.

"No, it's ok. I like getting compliments like that," Gracie blushed. "Hi guys. I'm Gracie Ino. I'm the daughter of the owner of Ino Films."

"Sounds like you should eat tacos in a toilet about to explode like a volcano," Sherry giggled. "Because cheese doesn't taste like snails!"

"Er… ok," Gracie shrugged. "I've heard crazier things, believe it or not."

Tara looked at Gracie a moment before realization dawned her eyes. " _You_!" she shouted, making everyone stare at her. " _You caused this!"_

Gracie looked confused. "Um… Ok? I'm confused about what I caused…"

" _You_ inspired _My Little Brony!_ You've caused me _six years_ of pain in that #$% show!" Tara growled. It took a moment for it to register to Gracie.

"Oh! You're Tara Armstrong, actress for Midnight Twinkle! She was my favorite!" she said with a smile.

"Guess what? I don't give _#$%_ about what you think!" Tara growled. "You are going down!"

Gracie's smile faltered. "Oh…," she said.

"Hey, rich chick I didn't bother listening to the name of, is this cash in this #$%'s pockets yours?" Kellie asked, tossing the limp body of Bernard over. Gracie gasped.

"Oh! That's where it went!" she said. She quickly gathered up the money, but left a few dollars in his pockets. "It's not right to steal. But I'm not sure why you stole from me, so maybe a few dollars can help."

"I don't need charity, #$%," Bernard groaned. "I'm in so much pain…"

"Moving on from that, introducing the last female contestant, Roxanne!" Topher announced. The last girl walked out of the yacht. She was wearing footie pajamas that were green and had Pac-Man figures all over it. Her blonde hair was super long and messed up. She seemed lost and confused.

"Um… where am I?" she asked.

"Hello Roxanne. My name is Jeremy. I'm a singer at heart and I welcome you to this show," he said. "Don't mind some of these mindless people around us."

Roxanne looked on a moment for a moment before smiling. "OH! I must be on TV!" she said with a smile. "Hi mom! Don't worry, I have you're spleen in my bag, just like you want."

This threw the contestants off. "Wait… did you say you had a spleen in your bags?" Jackal asked.

"Oh, yes! I also have my dead pet goat! He loves keeping my maggots company!" Roxanne giggled. "He also keeps my dad company."

"Oh! So you're dad is small enough to fit in a suit case? Cool!" Angelina said happily.

"No, you misunderstand. His head's in there! His body is at home!" Roxanne smiled.

Silence.

"She obviously has mental issues and kills people for fun," Nora said.

Silence.

"I'D GIVE HER A CHANCE!" Boomer suggested. "MAYBE SHE'S NOT CRAZY! MAYBE SHE JUST LIKES MORBID JOKES!"

"She better, because her corpse… I mean, she might get eliminated if she isn't joking," Randall said.

Sammy leaned over to Topher. "Is she joking?" she whispered.

Topher didn't answer for a moment. "Let's pretend she is joking, because I legit don't have a clue," he said nervously. He then smiled. "Our last contestant, Tristen!" The final contestant appeared on the dock. He wears no shirt, which shows off his many muscles. He has blonde hair and wore light blue shorts. His hair was mostly covered by a fedora. He had a smile on his face.

"Yeah! You guys pumped for this? I am!" Tristen said. "Let's get my adrenaline pumping in my viens!"

"Yeah! Let's sing the catfish to their ultimate grand finale!" Sherry agreed.

"Yay!" Angelina said. "Let's jump into a volcano! That's make us really pump the blood!"

Before Angelina could run off, Tristen quickly ran behind her and held her back. "Whoa there," he said. "Let's not do anything rash. I'm all for some great adrenaline rushes, but nothing that could get us killed."

"Dying's ok," Roxanne shrugged. "Nothing wrong with rotting away. It looks kind of fun!"

Tristen blinked. "I didn't expect to hear that," he said.

"I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON EITHER!" Boomer said loudly. "BUT SOME OF THESE GUYS ARE REALLY COOL!"

Tristen nodded with a smile. "I look forward to meeting all of you and taking calculating risks in both strategy and exhilarating stunts."

The fourteen contestants settled down after that and stood gathered in front of Topher, Amy, and Sammy. Topher grinned. "Alright, so now that we're all here, time to explain the rules of the season," he said.

"Aren't they the same as always?" Amy muttered. "Win challenges to be safe from elimination. If you lose, you will attend elimination. Get voted out and life sucks for you. Don't get voted out and you win a million dollars."

Topher blinked. "Ok, take the fun out of it," he said, glaring at her. He then said in a more gentle tone, "Sammy, would you like to explain the other part?"

"Oh, um… ok," she said. "These next few seasons will be about exploring the new islands which have been bought for us. Your challenges will be related to certain landmarks around the island."

"COOL!" Boomer said.

"Sounds like a bucket full of unconcentrated dead fish eyes!" Sherry exclaimed.

"Why would you make us explore? WHY #$%IT!" Kellie growled angrily.

"Hang on, there's more!" Topher said. "Look behind you." The contestants did as they were told. They saw that the terrain was rocky and the very opposite of flat. They also saw fires and lava flowing in rivers and lakes. They winced. "That's right! This season's island will test your ability to avoid getting burned. All challenges will somehow involve fire."

Tara groaned. "Great. It's so #$% hot here as it is. You're telling me I have to live with it _all_ season?"

"Or until you're eliminated," Topher shrugged. "Now, it's time for your first challenge!"

Some of the contestants gasped. "Hold up. You want us to do the challenge right now?" Bruce asked. "We don't even have teams yet!"

Amy rolled her eyes. "Teams are irrelevant," she said. "Besides, this challenge will _decide_ the teams, dumb #$%."

"The challenge," Topher said. "Is a short race across the island. The path leads straight toward you're home for the next two weeks. The first seven to arrive will receive a reward. The last seven will not receive a reward ad have to vote someone off. And trust me, you _want_ this reward. It's the only time you can get it."

This pumped a few of the contestants up. Boomer pounded his fists in excitement, Tristen jogged in place, Roxanne smiled innocently, and Kellie stomped on the ground angily.

"Um… Topher? You forgot the confessional," Sammy said.

"Oh, right! Thanks Sammy, totally spaced it," Topher said, smiling at the shy twin. Sammy blushed at the compliment. "Set up around the island are several classic outhouse confessionals. Feel free to take some time to use them now, just to let out some of you're deep and personal thoughts."

 **Confessional: First one of the new series!**

 **Jackal:** (Laughs.) **I can't believe these saps fell for it! A good guy wearing a positive mask automatically makes me the good guy!** (Jackal takes off his mask, revealing a chisled boy with black hair and an evil grin. He had a scar running down the right half of his face.) **With the mask on, I'm the hero. With it off, I'm the mysterious villain! I can have two side of the fandom worshipping me at once!** (Puts the mask back on.) **Nora's a problem though… how did she know my plan? Eh, she won't last two days, I guarantee it.**

 **Gracie: I may live the rich life, but I feel as though it's more of a burden. I love the life I've been given… but I wish those who are less fortunate were as lucky as me. If I win this season, all the money along with several months of my allowance is going to charity. I don't need the money. Other people do.**

 **Sherry: I'm not** _ **actually**_ **that dumb. I have straight A's and I believe in science. Thing is, people on this show get far for doing and saying things that don't make sense. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage by convincing people to go my way without being logical or strategic. Knowing humans, it's probably going to work.**

 **Kellie: Let's get one thing straight. I'm** _ **not**_ **raging mad. Anger management let me go, so obviously I got over it.** (Wait a moment before screaming in agony.) **SCREW YOU ANGER MANAGEMENT!**

 **Randall: Hehehehehe! What these suckers don't know is that I have no intention of doing** _ **anything**_ **nasty to them. If I trick them into thinking I'm up to something, then they'll rise up against. It keeps the target off of** _ **other**_ **villains. I mean, great villains deserve to shine, right? In a way, I** _ **want**_ **to be eliminated! All ok so long as a villain wins this season.**

 **Nora: I don't want to hurt… but I must. Redrick said I must hurt in order to succeed. Observe and destroy. Every. Last. Person.**

 **Angelina: HI! My name is Angelina, I like buttons, I also like bananas, I like Ben, I like bubbles, and I like the letter B in general! I also like my teammates. They seem like a bundle of fun! What kind of drama could possibly happen with people so happy?**

Once the contestants had finished with their confessionals, they had returned to gather in front of Topher. When they did, they saw Topher had in his hands three red wooden statues shaped like fire. "Alright, you guys ready for your challenge?" he asked. "Before we start, I have another twist for you."

"Another twist? That's underhanded! I can totally respect that," Bernard smirked.

"Indeed, these are idols," Topher said. "Play these things, and…"

"We've all seen the show, dumb #$%," Tara said. "Idols keep you safe. If you're eliminated, play one. Not that I would."

Topher smirked, offsetting some of the contestants. "Actually… every season, the idols will be given a sort of extra twist. This season, if you are eliminated, the idol won't _save_ you. Instead, it'll give you a chance to earn your way back _into_ the game."

Most of the contestants were stunned. "WAIT! I THOUGHT SMALL SEASONS ONLY HAD THIRTEEN EPISODES!" Boomer said, confused.

"They are. What I mean is that if, you have enough votes to be eliminated, play the idol. The idol will lower you're number of votes to the person with the _second_ highest amount of votes, triggering a tie-breaker," Topher said. "A tie-breaker will be held and the winner of that stays in the game."

"Sounds like a piece of fish wandering in a swamp with no banana peels!" Sherry protested.

"What will the tie-breakers be like?" Bruce asked.

Topher smirk grew. "Glad you asked. Let's just say… a torch and a coin. Oh, and keep in mind that solo immunity in the merge will be handled similarly. More will be explained at a later date." This worried some contestants. But for others, the merge was a long ways off and were ready to get on with the challenge.

"Can we get on with it? I'm bored and wouldn't mind mur… I mean, let's get the challenge rolling!" Randall said.

"Hang on. One last thing," Topher said. "The idols will not be in the same place very long. Every episode, when we explore a different area, they'll be rehidden in that area. So explore around before you leave."

The contestants nodded. Topher handed the idols to Sammy and she quickly went off to hide them. Amy nodded in approval. "Good. Make my sister do all the work. That'll show her to detract attention from me," she said.

Topher sighed. After waiting about five minutes, Sammy returned. With a smile, Topher said, "Alright, get ready. Remember, first seven contestants to arrive wins an award. Last seven eliminate someone. On your marks…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

GO!"

The fourteen contestants raced off down the path. They didn't know what the reward was, but they knew that it must be something worthwhile. Topher smiled at the camera. "Who will win the challenge? What will the reward be? Can anyone find an idol in the first episode? And who will be the unlucky person voted off first? Find out next time on Total Drama Fire Island!"

"Do we have to walk all the way to the end of the race? Because I really don't want to!" Amy complained. Topher gave a sigh.

 **Confessional: Time to blaze a trial.**

 **Bernard: Time for a bit o' sabotage. Nothing better than causing other's non-physical discomfort.** (Giggles.) **Except the ladies. Those 'assets' look fun enough to grope…**

 **Roxanne: Maybe these guys will all burn and I'll be able to use their corpses to raise an army of those no longer living? YAY!**

 **Bruce: For the first episode, I think I'll start getting in good with some of the others. I want to avoid conflict, yes, but making friends doesn't start fights. Maybe if people like me, they won't get me involved.**

 **(Undisclosed Location)**

In the room the three hosts were before, it had been technologically enhanced. On one side of the room, screens and buttons and keyboards were all set up. Blainely was currently sitting in front of them, a pair of headphones in her ears. Quiltal sat silently at the table.

"This season is _bleeding_ drama! And it's only the first episode," Blainely giggled.

"I care nothing of the season," Quiltal said. "I only care about getting the job done. Has Chris arrived on the island yet?"

Blainely checked a few screens. "Not yet. But he's getting close," she answered.

Quiltal nodded. "Perfect. When he arrives, let him know he needs to make sure Topher and the twins do not suspect him of being up to something. Have him make up a story to why he's on the island."

"Ok," Blainely shrugged. "I don't see why you couldn't just go to the island instead of Chris. You know what you're looking for."

Quiltal chuckled evilly, setting Blainely a little on edge. "My dear, ignorant human. I don't want anyone to pick up on what I am doing. My elder brother must face a foe who has the ability to kill him. My younger brother will have to face someone who rivals my elder brother's skill. If I appear on the island with _cameras_ , then no doubt a hero will rise to stop me. Hence why I selected this show as a cover. I don't _care_ about what you guys do about the show. So long as I get what I want, you are of use to me."

Blainely couldn't argue with that. However, something nagged at her with his last question. "What if a time comes when we are no longer of use to you?" she asked.

Quiltal laughed, sending chills through Blainely's spine. "When that time comes… you will soon find out what I do with those I no longer need," he said, making Blainely shiver.

 **BN: And there you have it! First official chapter of the new series! I have to say, it's** _ **a lot**_ **of fun writing for OCs. If I would have known that, I would have done this ages ago. Still, hopefully you guys liked the chapter. Here's the full names and stereo-types of the contestants, by the by.**

 **Angelina Resterman: The Hyperactive Ditz**

 **Bernard Shell: The Guy Who Won't Admit He Has Problems**

 **Boomer McBoom: The Loudmouth**

 **Bruce Traw: The Innocent Bystander**

 **Gracie Ino: The Grateful Millionaire**

 **Jackal Corokaroke: The Two Face**

 **Jeremy Pavarotti: The High Pitched Tenor**

 **Kellie Heller: The One Who Was Kicked out Of Anger Management**

 **Nora Night: The Black Hole**

 **Randall Shackman: The Sneaky #$%hole**

 **Roxanne Pinto: The Brainless Evil Genius**

 **Sherry Liable: The Illogical Debater**

 **Tara Armstrong: The Cold Hearted Celebrity**

 **Tristen McGury: The Level Headed Adrenaline Junkie**

 **Like? Hate? Meh? Tell me about it in a review! Or don't! Either works!**


	3. E1 P2: Path of Lava Rock

**Disclaimer: I own the fourteen OCs plus Quiltal. Everything else is owned by Teletoon.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Hey guys, Ben here! I can't believe the first episode of this is already out… and how much fun it was! I literally found it so much fun I haven't stopped writing from ten A.M. to nine-thirty P.M. This chapter has some dark themes, but I never plan on turning it to rated M. T forever! Hopefully you enjoy it, because I sure did in writing it!**

Running from the flames.

E1 P2: Path of Lava Rock

"And we're back!" Topher said with a smile.

Amy rolled her eyes. "We didn't _go_ anywhere, idiot," she grumbled. "We've been standing here for the entire first part of the episode. And I'm #$% _tired!_ When are we going to relax?"

Topher sighed, grabbing his eyes. "Why me?" he grumbled.

"My life's worse…" Sammy muttered.

Before more arguments could be had, there was a loud honk. The three hosts turned to see that the yacht holding the contestants had left and a barge had pulled up. It had docked at the dock and three trailers were rolled off, which were all attached to four-wheelers. In front of them was a familiar face.

"Greetings Topher and twins!" Chris McClean said. Topher grinned as Chris approached. He reached out his hand and Chris shook it. "How's hosting working for you? As great as you thought it was?" Chris asked.

Topher shrugged. "I like it. I haven't been a host for more than episode, so I can't say for sure," he said. "What are you doing here? I thought you were working in the background this season."

Chris gave his signature smile. "I was. But I figured I could give you a helping hand," Chris said. "We don't have a lot of the area mapped out. Might as well try to map it out and set up some of the challenges."

Topher smiled at this. "Oh, in that case, feel free to stick around. This island is technically yours, so stay as long as you like," Topher said. "Just remember. No directly interfering with the contestants."

Chris chuckled. "Of course I won't," he said. "Oh, and these trailers are yours. One is mine, one is yours, and the twins can share the other."

"So I have to live with my twin now?" Amy whined. "Why does my life _suuuuuuuuuuuuuck?!"_

Topher groaned. "I don't see why you had to get _both_ of them," Topher grumbled quietly. Chris merely shrugged and went over to one of the four wheelers. Topher sighed again, but followed suit, the twins close behind.

 **Confessional: A pair isn't a pair if it's not green.**

 **Topher:** (Smiling.) **Good thing Chris is here to back me up. These contestants seem insane… and it's only the first episode! Chris has experience, so I'm sure that this season will be a piece of cake.** (Sighs.) **Why is Amy here? Why?**

 **Amy: I'm here because I am obviously better than Sammy is. Why would Topher want Sammy over me? She's useless! I am, after all, perfect in every way.**

 **(Pathway)**

As the contestants fought their way down the path, some pulled ahead of others. Leading the pack with the lead (far ahead of everyone, for some reason) was Jackal. He was smirking as he made his way down the straight path, with little obstacles to slow him down. Every so often, he'd glance back to see if anyone could see him.

After a few minutes of running, he noticed a giant rock off to the side of the path. His smirk grew as he slid off the path behind it. He took off his mask, revealing his actual face and the smirk. Also, from under his cloths, he pulled out black robes and covered his body. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Time for the villain… to take his first victim," he smirked.

 **Confessional: Like a shark to the tiny fish in the sea.**

 **Jackal: My plan here is to make some of the stronger players come on the losing team. That way, I slip on by on a weaker team, which will make me the prime target for leader. I think it's a genius plan.**

Farther down the path, Angelina was happily skipping ahead of most of the others. By her side was Tristen, who was at a heavy run. For some reason though, he could never go faster than Angelina, who was giggling at his attempts to pull ahead.

"Why are you trying so hard, silly? I'm a bunny!" she giggled.

Tristen chuckled. "I'm all about adrenaline. Going this fast gets me pumped and excited," he said, breathing heavily. "Although, I've never met someone who could skip faster than I could run."

"Bounce, bounce, bounce," Angelina giggled.

Tristen chuckled, slowing down a little to catch his breath. "I need a break," he sighed. "I'm all for running hard core, but even I know my limits," he said. He noticed that Angelina had slowed down her skipping to skip at his pace. "Why are you slowing down? You could win this challenge," Tristen said.

"I don't want you to feel lonely," Angelina said simply. "Besides, the longer I skip, the more fun sentences to be had! Like hopping down the freeway with nothing on but a pair of panties!"

Tristen gave a slight chuckle and a blush, banishing his mind from making a mental image. "Well, the drivers would definitely be distracted by something other than their cell phones, that's for sure," he said.

 **Confessional: Depends if what their looking at on their cell phones.**

 **Tristen: Angelina seems like a pretty chill girl. She definitely has a lot of pent up energy for challenges, and she gives off a positive atmosphere.** (Chuckles.) **And she says random things that just make me have to laugh.**

 **Angelina:** (Stars at the ceiling.) **I wonder why the wood isn't on fire.**

A bit farther down the path, someone was yelling in rage. That person was, of course, Kellie. She was screaming angrily as she chased after none other than Bernard, who was running for his life. She chucked rocks at the poor guy, who was just barely able to dodge them.

"What did I even _do_ to you?!" he screamed in terror.

"YOU GROPED MY ASS, YOU #$% #$%!" Kellie screamed, picking up another rock and chucking it at him. It hit him in the back, making him moan in pain, but he still managed to keep running. "HOLD STILL! I WANT TO BEAT YOU'RE FACE IN!"

Bernard risked looking back in panic. "I quite like my face, thank you very much!" he yelled. Soon enough, Bernard passed Angelina and Tristen, who noticed him fleeing. They didn't get a moment to ask about it when Kellie barreled past them too, knocking Angelina off her feet.

"Hey! Skipping just got skipped out on because you didn't skip past me like a nice skipper!" Angelina compained.

Kellie stopped running and turned around. There was an angry twitch in her eye. "Did you just complain about me, you #$%? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I DO TO THOSE WHO COMPLAIN!"

Angelina yelped as Kellie started to attack her. Tristen grabbed hold of the poor girl and managed to slip past Kellie and run for it at his top speed. Kellie screamed in frustration and began to make pursuit. However, she felt something. Grasp. Her. Ass.

"YOU'RE #$% DEAD!"

"Mommy!"

 **Confessional: Good thing I don't have a butt!**

 **Bernard:** (Has a black eye.) **Yeah, maybe I should have waited until she was unconscious. Still, I got a good feel in! Man, that girl is** _ **smoking**_ **. Too bad she hates anyone who talks to her.** (Smirks.) **Maybe if I flash her she'll come around.**

 **Tristen:** (Shakes his head.) **What could possibly make someone so terribly angry? Even** _ **I**_ **can't get that angry, and I've been known to snap every once in a while.** (Thinks on it.) **Ok, once every few years, but when I get angry, I go all out.**

 **Kellie:** (Snarls.) **That #$% is #$% dead! YOU HEAR ME PERVERT?! YOU'RE #$% DEAD!**

Toward the back of the group, Sherry, Bruce, and Randall all were walking together. They seemed to be making good progress, as they noticed Kellie not too much farther ahead picking on poor Bernard. They winced when they saw her kick him in the groin as they slowly and quietly made their way past her.

"Good thing that #$% got what he… I mean, poor Bernard!" Randall said.

"Two tune flying on a magical chariot does not meet the equal sum of twenty-five hens using a see-saw!" Sherry protested, wagging a finger at Randall.

"Hey, I just like smashing people… I mean, meeting a calmly worked out compromise," Randall said.

"No! You smack bears while they play with children!" Sherry argued.

"Hey, you leave those brats… I mean, kids out of it!" Randall said.

"So you admit you're a clown hopping psychopath puppy lover!" Sherry smirked.

"Hey, psychopaths can love puppies! … Not that I _am_ a psychopath, mind you."

"Only if the candle melts the happy diaper."

"What in Hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Donkey's don't matter where the armadillo dies."

"Would you just…"

"Enough!" Bruce said, silencing the two arguers. "We can't fight on the first day. We don't know who's team we'll end up on, so we might as well find a way to get along now. Sherry, we don't know what you're saying. Randall, you keep acting weird by changing your thoughts mid-sentence. Just calm down and we can work this out, alright?"

Randall and Sherry looked at each other. "To one their own swordfish," Sherry said.

"You'll die a painful… I mean, fine. We'll work it out the old fashioned way," Randall muttered. "See you at elimination, #$%,"

Before Bruce could intervene again, Randall jogged ahead of them. Bruce sighed, shaking his head. "This is going to be tougher than I thought it would be," he muttered.

"Only when the cherry blows in the face of the maggot will the tornado rest in glass," Sherry nodded. Bruce shook his head and continued forward, Sherry close behind.

 **Confessional: Only argue when it makes sense.**

 **Randall:** (Smirks.) **It seems as though I already have two enemies in Bruce and Sherry. Neither one seems to care for me much. Perfect, just like I planned. Now all I have to do is get on the losing team. Perfection.**

 **Bruce:** (Rubs his eyes.) **On one hand, Randall is acting a bit… strange. As if he's up to something that isn't good for any of us. On the other… Sherry is kind of annoying. Nothing she says makes any logical sense, and yet she clearly thinks they do. It makes it hard for me to keep the conflict down.**

 **Sherry: Randall is** _ **obviously**_ **up to something. Too bad I can't outright tell everyone. Eh, what do I care? Just a game, so time to be who I'm not! Illogic power, ignite!**

Straggling behind were Boomer, Jeremy, and Gracie. They weren't the fastest, but they weren't giving up easily. Currently, Jeremy and Gracie sat on either of Boomer's shoulders. Boomer was running as fast as he could, determined not to lose it for his new found friends.

"IT CAN'T BE TOO FAR!" Boomer shouted. "I'M SURE WE CAN MAKE IT THERE SOON!"

"You sure it's ok that we sit up here?" Gracie asked. "I'm grateful, but I don't want to be a burden on you."

"IT'S NO BIGGIE! I CARRY BIG SOUND SYSTEMS ALL THE TIME! I'M MEANT TO CARRY THINGS!" Boomer said. "BESIDES, YOU'RE MY PALS! WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO GET HURT BEFORE THE REAL COMPETITION BEGINS!"

Jeremy smiled. "Thanks for looking out for us, my new found friend," Jeremy said. "Perhaps you and I could form the first two members of that quartet I wanted to form. I'd be first tenor, and you sound a bit like a base to me."

"SOUNDS COOL! I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU SING YOU'RE WAY TO A LADY'S HEART!" Boomer said with a smile.

Gracie giggled. "Well, when you guys sing, let me know. I'd like to hear it," she said.

Jeremy bowed, or the best he could while sitting on Boomer's shoulder. "You will be the first one to get an invite," he said with a smile. Gracie giggled while Boomer smiled.

"YOU GUYS ARE GETTING ME PUMPED! LET'S RUN LIKE NO ONE HAS RUN BEFORE!" he screamed happily and went full force ahead.

 **Confessional: If I had ears, they'd be useless.**

 **Boomer: THIS CONTEST SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT BIGGEST THING SINCE THAT CONCERT I WENT TO! YESTERDAY! SERIOUSLY, THIS IS GREAT!**

 **Jeremy: I'm obviously here to relax and have a good time and form that quartet, but I also need allies. Boomer's a friendly guy, and I'm sure he'd be up for it. Gracie might be a rich gal, but she isn't cold or heartless, like that one actress. These two might be up for an alliance.**

 **Gracie: I must admit, guys who sing are attractive.** (Giggles.) **Jeremy seems like a nice gentlemen. Maybe we can talk more if we end up on the same team?**

Roxanne and Tara were near the back. Roxanne was waddling like a giddy little girl while Tara was grumbling under her breath. Roxanne noticed that Tara was frowning, and being the niave girl she was, she wanted to bring a smile to her face.

"Hey, no need to be sad!" Roxanne said.

"Why not? My #$% agent signed me up for this #$% show and now I'm sure a bunch of people are shouting in excitement that their #$% favorite teenage actress is on another fan beloved show," Tara grumbled.

Roxanne cocked her head to the side. "Aren't you Midnight Twinkle off of _My Little Brony_?" Roxanne asked.

Tara groaned. "Great. Even you know what show I'm from," she muttered. "Someone #$% kill me!"

Roxanne smiled. "I did. Several times," Roxanne said. "Midnight Twinkle was brutally murder via getting her head flushed down the toilet while the rest of her body was strapped to a restraining table in my FanFiction _The Royal Flush_. I also killed her in _Spaghetti Straps_ when I removed all her organs but kept her alive by feeding spaghetti straight through her using small tubes."

Tara blinked, slowly inching away from the girl next to her. "Stay the #$% away from me," she said, in slight fear, but mostly disgust.

Roxanne saluted with a smile. "Ok! Remind me to tell you about the one fic I wrote about where Midnight Twinkle was assaulted by a gang!" she said and walked a little ways ahead of Tara. Tara gagged and slowly followed.

 **Confessional: Better than cupcakes, right?**

 **Tara:** (Throws up in the toilet.) **BLARGH!** (When she finishes, she turns around and looks ill.) **That girl… is** _ **not**_ **right. Sure, it's great to see that those TV characters** _ **finally**_ **get what they deserve… but Midnight Twinkle was** _ **me**_ **. She was killing** _ **me**_ **. Let's hope she doesn't see me as Midnight Twinkle and think she can do the same thing like in her FanFiction…**

 **Roxanne:** (Seems to be thinking about something deeply.) **Hey, Tara** _ **is**_ **basically like Midnight Twinkle! Maybe I can reenact** _ **Murder in the Butcher Shop**_ **with the real thing!**

In dead last and walking as slow as possible was Nora. She was trying to be slow, as she could no longer see any of her competition anywhere near her. She looked in thought as she walked. "Redrick said I needed the money," she said. "He said I had to prove that I could do well in the field. I don't want to hurt these people…"

"But I _have_ to," she said with no emotion. "I want to have friends, be happy, live the life I wanted as a little girl… but Redrick said he is always right. And I know what Redrick does when I accuse him otherwise."

Nora shivered but kept her cool. "Analyze people. Break people. Do it over and over, and don't stop until the million dollars is yours and Redrick sees you as only the best," Nora said.

 **Confessional: Mother knows best. Unless you're a guy. Then no one does!**

 **Nora:** (Looks blankly at the camera.) **Redrick wants me to win… otherwise I am a failure. I only do what I must in order to live…**

At the lead, Jackal had now come to a part of the path where on one side was a cliff side. He smirked at the idea he had and hid off to the side where no one could see him. He smirked as he noticed two people approach his spot.

 _Time for some good old fashioned sabotage,_ he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Tristen and Angelina were approaching Jackal's hiding spot. Angelina had descended from Tristen's shoulders and was skipping again. Tristen was chuckling. "You really do love skipping, don't you?" he asked.

"Yep! So much fun! Fun, fun, fun, fun!" Angelina giggled.

"Hey, I know we might not end up on the same team, but how about an alliance between us two," Tristen said. "We both have energy and we'd be well matched if we got to the finale."

"Will it be as fun as dancing naked on a roof top?" Angelina asked, giggling.

 _Don't picture that,_ Tristen said in his head. "Depending whether you're into that or not, sure," he said, blushing.

"Cool! I'm in!" Angelina said with a smile.

With no warning, though, someone jumped out at them and pushing Angelina roughly. She yelped in surprise as she tumbled off the side of the cliff. Tristen swung around and managed to catch the assaulter in the face with a well-placed punch. He moaned and stepped back.

"You #$%! You punched me in the face!" he growled. Tristen looked at the guy, but frowned when he didn't recognize his face. However… the voice sounded familiar.

"Who are you? I don't recognize you from unloading," Tristen said.

The guy chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know? Let's just say I'm this season's number one villain. And you're my first target," he said and ran forward on the path. Tristen was about to pursue him when he remembered something.

"Angelina! You alright?" Tristen called over the cliff.

"I'm ok! My panties got caught on a branch," Angelina called from below. "On a side note, this branch is giving me a really bad wedgie!"

Tristen surveryed the cliff side. "This cliff looks like I might be able to climb down," he called. "I'll try reaching you to bring you back up."

"Okey! Wait, aren't we in a race or something?" Angelina shouted.

Tristen shook his head. "Not important. I'll be right there," he said, and slowly made his way onto the cliff.

 **Confessional: Wedgie time!**

 **Jackal:** (Rubbing his jaw.) **That #$% hurt. I slowed down Tristen at least, so I might not have to deal with him later. Best part is, he didn't know who I was! This whole plan is full proof!**

 **Tristen:** (Rubs his chin.) **That voice** _ **sounded**_ **like another contestant… but I don't recognize this guy.** (Shakes his head.) **Doesn't matter right now. Angelina is hanging from a branch. I need to focus.**

Kellie had been chasing Bernard again. Bernard, for some reason, had moved past the massive pain Kellie had caused and was still running for it. Kellie was red with anger and her viens were popping from her neck. She screamed loudly.

"You're #$% dead!" she yelled.

"All I wanted was a nice handful of that luscious ass!" Bernard cried. "Is that so wrong?"

"WHAT DO YOU #$% THINK?!" Kellie roared. Bernard shrieked and continued running. However, it wouldn't last too much longer. Bernard fearfully ran past a giant rock on the side of the path. In a fit of utter rage, Kellie jumped in the air with a scream and pounded both fists into the rock. A junk tore off and flew away. Right onto Bernard's head.

"Uh…" he said in a daze and toppled over. Kellie jumped off the rock and growled at Bernard's unconscious body. She kicked him once more in the head and started forward on her way.

"Hmm… maybe she'd be a good idea to have on my team," Jackal mused from behind the rock. "No one would want a serious anger problem. Plus, I could use her to play the defenseless card."

 **Confessional: I have three aces!**

 **Kellie:** (Looks calm for the moment.) **That felt good. Hopefully no one else ticks me off.** (Stares at the camera.) **What the #$% are you looking at? You looking at me? WELL DON'T!** (She punches the camera, sending it into static.)

 **Bernard:** (Moans.) **I don't have issues… so why do I want to touch her ass again? Because I can. Free country, right?**

Randall was by himself, jogging ahead of the rest of the group. He was quite proud he had convinced some of the others he wasn't a good guy. He smirked to himself as he passed by Bernard's unconscious body. "Loser. Must have been ambushed by a real villain," he said with a grin.

"Or just a girl in anger management," came a voice from behind the rock. Randall looked at the rock carefully.

"I recognize that voice," he muttered. He went behind the rock to see a boy who he didn't recognize. "But I don't recognize you," he said, confused.

"Does it matter?" the boy said with a smirk. "You'll listen to me if you know what's good for you. I want you to eliminate any villain other than me. I am the only villain this game has, and I want to dominate with an iron fist."

Randall stared at the boy and laughed. "You? You're not even a contestant!" Randall laughed. "Sorry, but I'm looking to support a real villain. Plus, I'm voting myself off to give all the villains a chance. Wanna be villains though? Nope, not helping you. See ya!"

Randall started to walk away when he was tripping by the other boy. He yelped in pain as he cut his hands on the rocks. The boy put a foot on his back and leaned down to his ear. "I _am_ the real deal," he breathed. "Don't underestimate me."

Randall nodded his head, showing that he understood loud and clear. The boy smirked and lifted his foot off Randall. Quickly, Randall made his way back to the front of the rock and ran away. The boy laughed evilly as Randall left. But what the boy didn't know was that Randall was hiding a smirk.

 **Confessional: Laugh like you know you can!**

 **Jackal: See? Even that idiot doesn't know who I was!** (Laughs.) **Seriously, I can't believe no one thought of this plan before.**

 **Randall:** (Chuckles.) **Amateur. He's not a real villain. If he was, he would have disguised his voice. I know exactly who he is. As for laying myself down so he can survive…. You'll just have to watch what I'll do.**

Bruce and Sherry were continuing forth on the path. They had easily passed by the rock and the unconscious Bernard, who they paid no heed to, and were now hoping they were in the lead. However, slowly but surely, Bruce's patience was wearing thin.

"Are we there like the flying cuckoo bird from the praises of the wolverines?" Sherry asked for the hundredth time.

Bruce shook in frustration. "No. And quit asking because we obviously aren't there yet," he grumbled.

"Are we…"

"NO!"

Silence passed as the two continued forward. Bruce took a deep breath and continued forward. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap," he said. "I just don't like being annoyed. And no offence, but the way you speak to people is quite annoying."

"No fish," Sherry shrugged.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I don't like causing or being involved in conflict. I like it best when I'm not even involved. But what are the odds of me not getting involved all game? I just snapped at you, so zero."

"Magic monkeys dancing on cupcakes," Sherry agreed.

"Who am I kidding? Being neutral the whole way through is never going to work," Bruce sighed, shaking his head.

"Wasabi," Sherry comforted, patting Bruce's shoulder. Bruce took another breath before slowly nodding. Soon, a smile appeared on his face.

"You know… you're right!" Bruce said. "Conflicts might be there, but I need to stick to my beliefs and morals! If I do that, it doesn't really matter!" He gave Sherry a smile. "You may not make sense… but you sure put a smile on my face. Now let's win!"

"Tacos!" Sherry yelled.

"BYE GUYS!" Boomer boomed as he ran past the two contestants, Jeremy and Gracie still on his shoulders. Sherry and Bruce shared and glance and then charged after them.

 **Confesisonal: As charged as a battery.**

 **Sherry:** (Slightly smiling.) **Bruce is a pretty cool guy. Level headed and tries to take the peaceful approach. A good ally… if I were taking the smart approach! Nope, staying the crazy illogical #$% I am!**

 **Bruce: Sherry, while annoying, knows how to calm me down. Maybe I should offer her an alliance. Maybe. I'm not sure if I could tolerate her random sentences that don't make any logical sense in the slightest.** (Shrugs.) **I guess if I don't blow up in her face, I should be just fine.**

Boomer was running as fast as he could, stealing glances behind him to glance Bruce and Sherry. "ARE THEY GETTING CLOSER?!" he panted.

"They're gaining," Gracie confirmed. "If we need to hop down, we will. You don't have to carry us the entire way if you don't have too."

"NO WAY! I'M WINNING THIS FOR THE THREE OF US!" Boomer said and found a new energy within him, causing him to go faster.

"You got this buddy," Jeremy said. Boomer took Jeremy's kind words to heart and kept on running. Soon, Sherry and Bruce lost all their momentum and took a break. Boomer kept on going until they were no longer in sight.

"THEY GONE?" Boomer asked, finally slowing down a little bit.

Gracie looked all around the path. "Nope. No one in sight in either direction," she said. "I don't want to be cocky, but we might be in the lead right now."

"SWEET! I'M JUST GOING TO WALK FOR A BIT BECAUSE I'M TIRED," Boomer said.

Jeremy patted the big guy's back. "You did well. Go as slow as you need," he said, which Boomer heeded and slowed to a walk. Jeremy then smiled at Gracie. "Looks like we might be on the same team at this rate."

"Unless Topher splits us every other contestant," Gracie pointed out. "Chris _did_ do that in Revenge of the Island."

"I doubt he would," Jeremy said. "The reward is for the first seven to arrive. I think Topher is a bit more fair than Chris is."

"True," Gracie giggled.

After a few moments of silence, Jeremy asked, "So… you're father owns a film industry?"

Gracie smiled. "Yep, he does," she said. "We're quite rich from how popular our shows are, but I'm thankful for it. I donate to charities and such since I don't need as much money as I have."

"That's sweet of you," Jeremy smiled.

"YEAH! MAYBE YOU CAN DONATE TO THE ANIMAL SHELTERS TOO! THOSE DOGGIES NEED HOMES, AND I WANT TO HELP WITH THAT IF I WIN!" Boomer said.

Gracie gave Boomer a smile. "Tell you what? If I win, half of it goes to whichever animal charity you want Boomer. Money's on me," she said.

"SWEET! LET'S ROLL!" he said and started running again, now having more motivation.

 **Confessional: Those commercials make me cry every time…**

 **Gracie: I'm happy that I have a nice life, but also sadden that other's aren't as privileged as me. I want to spread the message that I care and I want to be able to help those who are in need of the money.**

 **Boomer: I FORGOT TO DO THIS EARLIER! HI MOM! TAKE CARE OF LITTLE BOOM FOR ME, WOULD YOU?! THAT DOG NEEDS LOVE!**

Roxanne and Tara had made their way down the path at a slower pace. They had moved past the rock on the side a while ago. Soon, they decided to rest, since they were pretty much out of breath. Well, Roxanne was. Tara wanted to rest for a different reason.

"I hate moving," she muttered, sitting down. "I hate a lot of things, but moving is definitely at the top of the list."

"I hate a lot of things too! Like good guys!" Roxanne giggled. "I hope their bodies burn black and ooze blood for my juice!"

Tara twitched. "Er… yeah. Shut up," Tara muttered. Roxanne cocked her head, as if confused. Tara rolled her eyes. "You make me uncomfortable and you're annoying, and I quite honestly think you shouldn't exist."

Realization beamed on Roxanne's eyes. "Oh, ok," Roxanne said smiling. Tara rolled her eyes, no longer looking at Roxanne. _Why am I stuck with the crazy person?_ She asked herself.

However, she didn't have a lot of time to ponder that question. She felt a sharp pain in her side. She gasped and looked up to see Roxanne, who had stabbed a sharp finger nail into her side. She gasped again when she felt a small trickle of blood dripping there. "Wha…" she asked, gasping again when Roxanne sunk deeper.

"Don't worry about it," Roxanne giggled. "I just like hurting those I don't like. I wanted to kill you in a more fun way… buuuuuuuuut I guess death by fingernail works."

"W-w-w-wait, y-y-y-you're actually g-g-g-going to…" Tara said, fear growing in her eyes.

"Yep! Too bad too," Roxanne said, sighing. "Oh well! Bye Tara!"

Before Roxanne could act, however, a rumbling was felt beneathe them. Roxanne with drew her finger, much to Tara's relief. Her brow furrowed. However, before either girl react, something burst from the ground, making them scream in pain and fear.

 **Confessional: Whoa, that got dark fast.**

 **Tara:** (Freaking out.) **Roxanne almost… that #$%! She thinks she can just** _ **kill**_ **a celebrity? What kind of #$% #$% does she think she is? She'll face my complete #$%** _ **wrath!**_

 **Topher: Is Tara not at all concerned about the fact she was almost** _ **killed**_ **? Good thing the island decided that exact moment to erupt a geyser. I don't want law-suits the first episode!**

Still lagging behind, Nora was sniffing the air. "Hmmm… a geyser erupted here not too long ago," she observed. "Interesting…. Hang on…"

She walked to the side of the path and sniffed. She picked up a rock and examined it carefully. She put her felt on top and swiped it. A red substance came off of it. She rubbed her fingers, nodding at the texture as if she already knew what it was.

"Blood," she said to herself.

 **Confessional: Well, that's cool, I guess.**

 **Nora:** (Looks somewhat worried but tries to compose herself.) **Someone could be hurt… no, I'm not allowed to care. Observe. Break. You aren't allowed to worry. Money…** (Her facial expression falters.) **Don't punish me Redrick… I shall follow you're teachings…**

Leading the pack, Kellie was running at her top speed. She looked as if she had calmed down and was trying to beat the others. However, after a few moments, she paused to catch her breath. "Why must my body be so #$% tired," she growled. "COME ON BODY! RECOVER ALREADY!"

However, life didn't work like that and she breathed heavily. She sighed as she waited for her strength to come back to her. "This #$% stinks," she muttered. "I'm already weak… NO! NO #$%IT! I'M TOO ANGRY TO QUIT!"

"Well, you're #$% annoy… I mean, good luck with that," Randall said, scampering past Kellie.

"YOU #$%!" Kellie yelled in pure anger. "YOU CAN'T PASS ME UNLESS I SAY SO!"

"Does it look like I give a… I mean, sorry, I just want to win," Randall said.

Kelie screamed in rage. "YOU WANT TO DANCE LITTLE MAN?! LET'S DANCE!" Kellie roared.

Randall shrugged, still jogging away. "Not much of a dancer. My instructor has two left feet," he said. Kellie shook in anger and then screamed again. She charged after Randall, who simply gave a smirk as he easily ran faster than her.

 **Confessional: At least you** _ **have**_ **feet.**

 **Kellie:** (Seething.) **THAT #$% IS GOING TO PAY FOR #$% ME OFF! DIE PUNK!**

 **Randall: Kellie isn't a villain, per se. Rather, she's a bunch of raw anger just waiting to explode all over someone. I figure if I tick her off, she'll be as big a scape goat as me. Two rounds the villains can succeed! Am I a good guy or what?**

To give Boomer a break, Gracie and Jeremy had gotten off his shoulders. Boomer was rolling his shoulders and sighing in relief. "SORRY I MADE YOU GUYS GET OFF, BUT I JUST COULDN'T RUN ANYMORE!" Boomer said.

"Hey, it's no problem, really," Gracie said gratefully. "If you're tired, the least we can do is let you recover."

"Actually, I have an idea," Jeremy said. "Since you were so kind to help us, why don't us three form an alliance? We're already great pals and we each have different strengths. Why not?"

Boomer grinned a giant grin. "SWEET BRUH! I DIDN'T THINK I'D GET INTO AN ALLIANCE, BUT THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE! I'M IN!"

Gracie offered Jeremy a kind smile. "I'm grateful that you consider me so highly," Gracie said. "I don't see why I would refuse."

Jeremy smiled. "Then it's settled. Us three are an alliance! One more, and we'd run half the votes," he said. "But I'm mostly here for the quartet. And we all agree or bust when it comes to elimination. It's fair that way."

"Fair. I'm all about men who are fair," Gracie blushed. "Alright, us three to the end!"

"YEAH!" Boomer said, pumping his fist into the air.

 **Confessional: I'm all about Dressing Rooms. They're hot.**

 **Boomer: I ALREADY HAVE AN ALLIANCE?! SWEET MOTHER OF A DANCING CANDY CANE, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! MAYBE THIS SEASON, AN ENTIRE ALLIANCE WILL MAKE IT TO THE END! I HOPE SO!**

 **Jeremy: There, my strategy for the day is done. Unless we lose, but I doubt we will. I don't want to over think things, because over strategizing will just make me a target. Just have a simple meeting before the challenge and after the challenge if we lose. Not over thinking things in the slightest, nope.**

Bruce and Sherry had long ago given up in winning the challenge. They sighed, walking forward as fast as they could while not making it so they would be over exhausted. "Why must the finish line be so far away?" Bruce grumbled.

"Because cheese sticks and marinara sauce?" Sherry suggested.

Bruce shrugged. "Maybe," he said. "I think we'll still be on the winning team though. I think only five people are ahead of us, so I'm not worried in the slightest."

Sherry simply shrugged. "Talking peanuts," she said.

Bruce chuckled. "Sure. I have some in my bags," he said. He then stopped. "I wonder if Topher grabbed our bags…"

"Probably whale golf," Sherry shrugged.

"Sammy's a nice girl. She probably got our luggage," Bruce nodded. "Oh well, we don't have time to worry about that. Let's win this challenge!"

"Blubbering owl kidneys!" Sherry agreed.

 **Confessional: Do owls even have kidneys?**

 **Sherry: Bruce talks a lot. Maybe I can subtly vote him out?** (Thinks about that for a moment.) **Why would I though? I don't really care about the contest! I just want to confuse people!**

Tristen had made his way down the Cliffside carefully. He knew his limits and he knew that he could reach the place where Angelina hung. He carefully found some more foot holds and rested a moment. "You alright down there?" Tristen called.

"Fine and dandy! Although my butt hurts. Curse this branch for being a perv!" Angelina cried. Tristen chuckled, moving down a little more ways. "You're almost to me, just a few more hand movements."

"Got ya," Tristen nodded. He stepped down on another foot rest and grabbed a rock to balance himself. Unfortunately, the rock he grabbed onto was loose and Tristen fell backward. He screamed in fear and he started to fall. However, someone grabbed his hand before he was unsavable.

"Silly. You're supposed to be saving me," Angelina giggled. She swung Tristen carefully back onto the cliff, which he grabbed onto. He looked at Angelina, whose green panties were strung onto the tree branch. Tristen ignored the male urges and carefully slid over to the branch.

"I'm going to lift the branch just a little ways," Tristen warned. "It might… hurt, but it's the only way I can get you to the cliff side, ok?"

Angelina shrugged with a smile. "I'm already humiliated. A little more pain won't kill me," she giggled. Tristen gave her a nod and gently grabbed the branch. He pulled the branch sideways, eventually positioning it close to the Cliffside. Angelina grabbed the rocks and carefully eased herself off the branch. Once she was unhooked, she repositioned herself and her clothing with a smile. Tristen sighed in relief.

"Good thing I got you safe and sound," he said. "I'm all for extreme… but try not to almost die on the first day, ok?"

Angelina saluted. "Alright, Mr. Boss," she said seriously. Then she smirked. "Did you like the sight of my panties?"

Tristen hid a blush. "Um… no comment," he said simply, starting to climb up. "You'll be alright?"

"My butt's a little sore, but I'm a-okay! Thanks Mr. Boss!" Angelina said, saluting again.

Tristen rolled his eyes. "My name is Tristen," he said.

Angelina stared at him. "Mr. Boss sounds cooler," she giggled. Tristen gave an amused sigh and started to climb back up, Angelina following close behind him.

 **Confessional: Still somehow rated T!**

 **Angelina:** (Smirking.) **He liked looking at my underwear, didn't he?** (Giggles.) **He wouldn't be a guy if he didn't! I wonder what other exciting things I'll be pushed into!**

 **Tristen: For the record, I did** _ **not**_ **enjoy looking at Angelina like that. She was in danger and I had no other choice. I don't want my entire fanbase to think I am a perv. You got it? I'm no perv.**

Nora continued her way down the path. She had not seen anyone her entire journey, but she continued forth anyway. However, a tad bit of worry had crossed her face. _Redrick does not wish for me to feel emotion,_ she thought. _But how can I not when someone could be injured? No, I must not worry about these people. They are my foes. But…_

Her thoughts were disrupted when she came upon a tall rock. She raised an eyebrow. She remembered seeing a similar from earlier. She looked at it carefully, then looked down and took a step back. Bernard, still unconscious, rested in front of it. How did they get from back there, to here?

"Wait… the geysers," she said aloud. "They must be scattered across the island. They must move the terrain." She looked at Bernard for a moment. "He doesn't look too burned, so the water must not have too damaging effect."

She walked over to the rock itself. She was about to pass by it when something caught her eye. A small opening, something the ordinary person would miss. She reached her hand inside and felt something… wooden? She grabbed it and pulled out one of the Flame Idols Topher had shown her earlier.

"Interesting," Nora nodding, hiding it in her clothing.

Suddenly, she heard someone shock awake. "Huh? How did… never mind! I think enough people have passed me. Time to claim my reward!" he said. The boy came around and froze when he saw Nora. " _You!"_

"Jackal. Nice to see you. If I cared," Nora shrugged. The boy's mouth dropped. "How did… you don't know me! I'm a contestant you don't even know!"

Nora shook her head. "You are Jackal," she said. "You should have disguised your voice." Jackal's jaw dropped as he shook his head.

"You know nothing!" he spat. "You will be the first one gone. You're a freak, and I'll take you down first! However, I will win this challenge and leave you for the losing spot! Sucks to be you!"

Nora stared at him. "What do you mean? I'm the last one," she said. Jackal stared at her, the evil smile on his face faltering. Before he could accuse her of lying, she said, "I made sure I fell behind. We are the last three here."

Jackal shook his head. "NO! I pushed two people off a cliff! They're behind us! I have a chance!" he screamed. However, with no warning, Tristen and Angelina bolted past Nora and Jackal. (And Bernard, if you even count him.)

"Hey, look! He's the guy who pushed me!" Angelina said, pointing to Jackal.

Tristen stole a look at him as he bolted past. "We'll just have to vote for him if we lose," he shrugged and the two continued running/skipping. Jackal fumed in anger and glared at Nora.

" #$%! I won't lose because of you!" he screamed and started to run after them, subtly taking off his black robes to reveal his normal clothing and took out his mask. Nora blinked.

"He doesn't even care I'm seeing him do this," she said. She looked at Bernard for a moment before nodding. "I may not be allowed to care, but I'm not heartless yet," she said to herself. She picked up the unconscious boy, flung him over her shoulder, and continued her way down the long path.

 **Confesisonal: I can't lose, nor can I win!**

 **Nora: Jackal will more than likely blame the loss all on me. However, I do believe he is cocky and will fail. Either way, he will fail.** (Sighs.) **I must wonder though… will I ever stoop to his level? Will I ever be cocky and underhanded? I must wonder… no. Thinking leads to individuality. Redrick told me that was bad.**

 **Jackal:** (His mask has been returned to his face.) **That** _ **insufferable**_ **girl! If I do indeed lose, then it will be** _ **her**_ **head that shall be eliminated first! I won't have it any other way!**

 **(Finish Line)**

Topher stood at the finish line. The three trailers were set up nearby. Amy, Sammy, and Chris were getting settled in while Topher waited for the contestants. In the background, two scenes could be seen. On the left, a charred land of black rock and burnt trees could be seen. Not far away from it was what seemed to be a mini volcano. On the right, a somewhat large house stood. Rock-like pathways surrounded it and lava pools could be seen as well. The house looked like a tower and was surrounded by a lava moat with fire balls bounding over the pathways. Two doors could be seen, on in the back on the lower level and one that could only be reached near the top via a rockway. The top one had a fire symbol on it. The roof seemed to have fire engulf it, but the house itself didn't seem to burn.

"I hope the contestants get here soon. I want to crank up the AC in my trailer," Topher grumbled. He got his wish soon though, as a set of contestants came into view. Topher flashed a grin. "Congratulations to Kellie and Randall to be the first two to arrive!" Topher said as the two approached them. "For the record, Randall crossed first."

"What?!" Kellie screamed, glaring at Randall. Randall slipped to the side as Kellie punched her fists into the ground in a rage. Randall swung his finger back and forth.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said, smirking. Kellie screamed again, but before she could attack Randall…

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Tara and Roxanne fell on top of her. Kellie screamed in rage as her head was shoved into the rocks. Tara quickly got off Roxanne and slowly backed away. "Keep that… _thing_ away from me!" she screamed.

Roxanne pouted a little. "Aw, you didn't like our little game?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, you're sick. You are a sick twisted… _thing_ that doesn't deserve to be alive!" Tara screamed.

"Whether or not you think so… you guys came in third and fourth place," Topher said. It took a moment for that to register to Tara. But when it did, her eyes were full of fear.

"Y-y-y-you mean that we're on the same…" Tara trembled.

"Yep! You and Roxanne, for all of pre-merge, are going to get really chummy!" Topher said, giving her a hidden sad smile. "Sorry, just how the rules work."

Roxanne smiled at Tara. "We can continue our game later! Yay!" she said happily.

Tara fell to her knees and looked up at the sky. "WHY ME?!" she yelled, so loud that the entire island could hear her.

 **Confessional: Why not you?**

 **Randall: Hmm… Tara certainly seems afraid of Roxanne.** (Chuckles.) **Perhaps Roxanne is a villain I am not aware of. This could be quite interesting indeed.**

 **Roxanne:** (Smiles sweetly.) **Tara's body looks sweet! All those bones I could strip the flesh away from… she's going to be a fun one! Maybe I won't even kill her all the way! Fun, fun, fun!**

Not too much longer from the time Roxanne and Tara landed, Topher saw a group of three approach the finish. He flashed a smile and said, "It looks like the last three spots for the first team are filled! The final three who are safe from elimination tonight are…

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Boomer, Jeremy, and Gracie!" The three friends sighed in relief.

"YEAH! WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE SET OUR MINDS TO!" Boomer shouted with glee.

Tara glared at the three arrivals. "Let me get this straight Topher," she said, shaking with anger. "Not only do I have to put up with… _that_ monstrosity," she pointed at Roxanne, "but I have to live with that _girl_ who put me through so much pain in my acting career?"

"Pretty much sums it up," Topher nodded.

"I'm not that bad. I'm sorry I put you through pain, but I was little. I didn't know you were forced to act for so long against you're will," Gracie said.

Tara scoffed at the girl and said, "I don't need your pity. Once Roxanne is gone… you will fall shortly after."

Jeremy stepped up right next to Tara. They glared at each other's eyes, both filled with intenseness. "Don't threaten my friend," he said coldly.

"Back off, #$%," Tara growled.

Before more fighting could be had, someone said, "Really? Fighting here too?" Everyone looked to see Bruce and Sherry had crossed the finish line. "I thought it would be peaceful toward the end."

"Well, peaceful or not, Bruce and Sherry, you place eighth and ninth respectfully. You are both on the losing team and are up for elimination," Topher said.

"Aw, kitty's in the dish washer," Sherry grumbled.

 **Confessional: I thought cats licked themselves clean.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks a little upset.) **When I was younger, I idolized Tara. I idolized her more for the character she played, but I had always thought that I would grow up to be like her.** (Sighs.) **Turns out all I'd turn into is a big jerk. I don't see why one of my childhood heroes can hate a girl who loves her so much. It kind of… saddens me.**

 **Bruce: Well, the first day isn't turning out like I thought it would. I thought there'd be less conflict.** (Shrugs.) **At least my team so far isn't too bad. Granted, the only member on it right now is Sherry, but I bet all my other teammates won't be that bad.**

Topher flashed a smile as Tristen and Angelina crossed the finish line. "Hey guys. Sorry to inform you both, but you are in tenth and eleventh place and on the losing team," Chris said. "You two are up for elimination."

"Aw, poop," Angelina said sadly.

"It's chill. We got a good rush today," Tristen shrugged. "We can always try again tomorrow."

"Ooo! Can we win tomorrow?" Angelina said excitedly, bouncing up and down. Tristen gave her a smile and nodded. Angelina squeed happily.

"WOW! THAT GIRL CAN BE LOUD!" Boomer shouted.

All the happiness fled the area soon, however. The next one to cross the line happened to be Jackal. No one could see his face, but they could feel the anger radiating from him. "Don't. #$%. Tell me. I'm on the losing team, aren't I?" he asked in a strained voice.

"That you are," Topher confirmed. "You came in twelfth place."

Jackal's head twitched but relaxed. "That's ok. I learned that there's a villain on the losing team that we can gang up on," he said. He turned around and spotted Nora coming closer. He smirked from behind his mask. "Speak of the devil," he said.

Nora dropped Bernard on the other side of the line as she crossed herself. She looked around. "I'm in last place, it seems. So be it," she said. She then noticed Jackal looking at her. "You told them I was a villain, correct?"

"I'm only telling these people the truth!" he said hatefully. "I saw you knock out poor Bernard. I blame you for why I lost! You should be ashamed!"

Nora sighed, shaking her head. "You are so wrong," Nora said. "Kellie knocked Bernard out. She has anger issues because she lived a terrible life and never knew how to show kindness. Bernard was knocked out in front of the rock you were hiding behind. You're blaming me because you are yourself a villain trying to play both sides."

"LIAR!" Jackal roared.

"Enough!" Topher said, silencing the fight from continuing on any farther. "You can both settle things later at the elimination ceremony. Right now, I have a few things to tie up."

 **Confessional: I can't tie knots worth crap.**

 **Jackal:** (Laughs.) **Everyone is tricked! No one will believe Nora! No one! This game is in the palm of my hand!**

 **Bernard: Um… where am I? How did I get here?**

 **Kellie:** (Seems to think about something.) **That annoying #$% is right. I** _ **did**_ **knock out that pipsqueak. IS THE MASK GUY LYING ABOUT MY ATTACK?! THAT #$% #$%!**

"Now then," Topher said. "Congratulations to the first seven to cross the finish line! When I call you're name, stand on my right."

"Randall."

"Kellie."

"Roxanne."

"Tara."

"Boomer."

"Gracie."

"And Jeremy."

The seven contestants that were called happily went to Topher's right. He smiled and said, "You guys have won the reward and will now be known as the Valiant Volcanos!" The seven cheered at a red icon with a volcano on it appeared in the corner.

Topher then turned to the remaining seven. "When I call your name, stand to my left," Topher said.

"Bruce."

"Sherry."

"Tristen."

"Angelina."

"Jackal."

"Bernard."

"And Nora."

Once those seven had walked over, Topher announced, "You guys came in last, and must vote someone out tonight. You will be known as the Lying Lava."

 _Fitting,_ Randall and Jackal both thought to themselves.

"Hey, host I don't #$% care the name of," Kellie muttered. "What's our reward? You said there would be a reward! DID YOU LIE TO ME?!"

Topher winced. "No, I didn't," Topher said. "Valiant Volcanos, for winning the first challenge, you guys will receive…

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The exclusive rights to the Fire House for the entire pre-merge! It includes beds, a bathroom, and privacy," Topher said. The Valiant Volcanos cheered in happiness while the Lying Lava groaned. "Lying Lava, sorry to say it, but you guys will have to live on the lava rocks until the merge rolls around. Tough break."

"Police don't give crap about the snails!" Sherry protested.

"I don't give crap about you either," Topher shrugged. "Now, you're luggage has been brought over from the yacht you arrived on and placed in the location you'll be staying in. Valiant Volcanos, feel free to unpack and get nice and cozy in your new home. Lying Lava, meet over by that volcano in the distance in about two hours for your first vote."

 **Confessional: If you look, I think I can see a bird!**

 **Boomer: SWEET! I GET A HOUSE! WHO KNEW REWARDS WERE SO SWEET?! HOPEFULLY MORE REWARDS WILL COME AND MAKE ME JUST AS HAPPY!**

 **Sherry: Do I care that I'm not in luxury! #$% no! I never would have expected I'd lose luxury, so this doesn't hurt me in the slightest!**

 **Tara: I deserve luxury. I'm the only one who deserves it.** (Pales.) **So long as I keep that…** _ **freak**_ **away from me, all will be fine… I won't die. I won't. Right?**

 **Tristen: Sucks I lost, but it's no sweat. I can rough it. I would probably do that anyway even if I did win the house. All about the extreme, you know?**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The seven winning contestants had entered the house. It was a rocky hallway with hot orange ashes wedged in the walls. The hallway branched in two directions, one going up, the other going down. In front of them was a doorway, leading to one room.

"I CALL THE ROOM UPSTAIRS!" Boomer called, running upstairs. Jeremy shrugged and followed him, seeming to think it would be cool to bunk with the loud guy. The two went all the way around the ramp to find themselves in a room with two beds, a set of nightstands with lamps on each, their luggage, and the roof with the same flame as outside. However, like outside, the flame didn't seem to spread.

"Well, seems like this is one of the nicest rooms," Jeremy said with a smile.

"HECK YEAH! TOPHER SURE KNOWS HOW TO HOST!" Boomer said, grinning widely. "WHICH BED DO YOU WANT, RIGHT OR LEFT?!"

Jeremy analyzed the two beds carefully. He finally said, "I'd like the one on the right, if you don't mind."

"NO PROBLEM!" Boomer said.

 **Confessional: I wonder if the room is sound proof.**

 **Jeremy: As Boomer is my friend, rooming with him was the logical choice. Besides, we can practice singing in our room when we aren't competing in challenges.**

 **Boomer:** (Grinning.) **THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER! I BET IT'LL EVEN BE MORE AWESOME TOMORROW!**

In the room toward the entryway, Gracie was settling in by herself. The walls were red with heat the lava rocks radiated and she sighed. "This looks like it's going to be nice," she said happily.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Gracie yelped when she turned to see Tara walk in. She looked annoyed, but also had a little bit of fear in her eyes. "I'm rooming with you. Don't you _dare_ argue," she growled.

"Sure. The more the merrier," Gracie said with a smile.

Tara rolled her eyes and flopped onto the bed Gracie was not on. "Just lock the door when you come in," Tara muttered.

Gracie raised an eyebrow. "Scared of someone?" she asked. Tara looked up at her, fear in her eyes. Gracie felt the fear rising up in her just by looking at the girl who hated her.

"Let's just say there is someone I hate here more than you. But I fear them more than hate," she muttered and slammed her head back onto her pillow.

 **Confessional: Fear and hate go so well together though.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks concerned.) **I know Tara is supposed to be the enemy… but who can scare her** _ **that**_ **bad? She must obviously trust me enough to live in the same room as me for a while.** (Shivers.) **I'm kind of scared now…**

 **Tara: I don't enjoy sleeping anywhere near that #$% brat!** (Pales.) **But it's better than being near Roxanne…**

Kellie had decided to go down the hall. She thought she saw Roxanne go down that way too, but when she came up into a round room, Roxanne was nowhere to be found. Kellie noticed a single bed in the corner and the lower exit off to the side. She nodded.

"Good enough," she said, going to rest on the bed. She sat there for a moment in silence. "WHY DOESN'T ANYONE WANT TO ROOM WITH ME?!" she randomly screamed.

 **Confessional: Maybe because it's hot down there?**

 **Kellie: In hindsight, it might have been because there was one bed.** (Sits there in silence.) **STILL NO EXCUSE TO LEAVE ME ALONE, #$%IT!**

Roxanne was smiling in pure glee. Before Kellie had come into the room, Roxanne had found a small round passage way leading downward. She had taken it down to find a room completely surrounding by burning hot lava. The room was contained by a special glass. A single bed sat in the center.

"Burn… everyone will burn…." Roxanne giggled. Then, she heard something in her head. Something deep in the subconscious had been stirred. Something that hadn't been heard for seasons.

 **Ding!**

"Hello Roxanne!" Topher said in an intercom. "We've been thinking, and we thought it might be nice to bring back something from World Tour: a song every episode sung by the contestants! I don't want to broadcast it to all the contestants just yet. I want a solo. That, and I want to see if you're sane. That's all."

The intercom clicked off. A smirk came upon Roxanne's face. She knew _exactly_ what to do.

 **Song 1: Burn, Burn (To the tune of the chorus of the Ending Theme of season three of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.)**

 **Roxanne: I'm a little girl, playing with fire.**

 **No one knows that I love killing with wire.**

 **I can't sit by, plain as day!**

 **So the others can die in the fray!**

 **Chorus: Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **Watch their organs stir and churn!**

 **Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **That will make them want to learn!**

 **Roxanne: No one knows why I am.**

 **But I know that I want some jam.**

 **So I'll make it from mashed tongue.**

 **Maybe with a dash of lung.**

 **Chorus: Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **Watch their organs stir and churn!**

 **Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **That will make them want to learn!**

 **Roxanne: I do not know why they die.**

 **As a little girl, no one would cry.**

 **But I understand that I am unique.**

 **So it's their death that I excitedly seek!**

 **Chorus: Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **Watch their organs stir and churn!**

 **Burn, burn, watch them burn!**

 **That will make them want to learn!**

Roxanne finished her song with a smile on her face. She felt proud that she had sung her heart out. She also knew something else.

That she wanted to watch them burn.

 **Confessional: … Most disturbing song ever.**

 **Topher:** (Looks pale.) **This girl… is** _ **insane**_ **! I hope no one sues… I do** _ **not**_ **need someone to sue me over an insane contestant! I didn't even** _ **chose**_ **her!**

Outside the house, near the entrance, Randall sat with his back against a rock. A pool of lava was in front of him. He was smirking at it. "One day down, twelve more to go," he said. "Thing is, I won't be here for all of them. Still… which villain should I help win?"

He thought over his own question for a moment. "As Roxanne is suspect for being weird, I shall try to aid her," he said. "There really aren't any other villains on this team besides her, so why not go for it!"

He looked at the lava pool and winked. "Looking good," he smirked.

 **Confessional: Yes, he did just flirt with lava.**

 **Randall: I feel as though this contest is going to be a mad house. And I** _ **love it!**_ **I've never felt a place as crazy as this one! Hopefully I stick around long enough for the drama to seep into the cracks and destroy all the heroes! It's going to be awesome!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The seven losers were making due with the burnt rocks around them. They were defeated and knew one of them would be eliminated. However, one person rose from the defeat. "Don't give up guys!" Jackal said. "I know we lost today, but this first boot will be easy! After that, we'll win straight to the merge!"

Nora rose her eyebrows. "You mean you want to vote for me, don't you?" Nora said.

Jackal shrugged. "We'll talk to our allies and decide you're fate," he said. "In the meantime, let's get ready for tonight, shall we?"

 **Confessional: I want to vote for the good president!**

 **Nora: Jackal is obviously going to be playing dirty. Fine then. I may have no allies, but I shall** _ **not**_ **be the first one eliminated.**

 **Jackal: Really, who** _ **wouldn't**_ **vote for Nora? I have too many hard core facts running** _ **against**_ **her! I have this game won.**

As the contestants spread out, Nora was left alone. She looked around and sighed. "I need to find a way in convincing these people to vote with me," she said quietly. She looked around and spotted Bernard close by her, eyeing her. She shrugged and walked toward him.

"Why, hello," he said, a perverted smirk on his face. "Want some of old Bernard?"

"No. Being a perv doesn't get women to love you. You have problems," Nora said.

Bernard scoffed at this. "I do _not_!" he whined.

"On the contrary, you do," Nora said. "You have major OCD, you're addicted to who knows what, you're a pervert, and you've been to jail… two times in the past three months."

Bernard glared hatefully at the girl. "Jackal's right. You are a villain," he grumbled.

"And yet, who carried you to the end?" Nora said. "You owe me for saving you. I could have left you, but I didn't. I was _taught_ to leave people behind, and yet I carried you to the end."

Bernard eyed Nora carefully before extending his hand. "Temporary truce then," he said. Nora shook his hand. "How may I be in service?"

"Vote for Jackal. He is not what he appears to be," Nora warned.

Bernard shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say," Bernard said. As Nora turned to leave, Bernard smirked.

 **Confessional: Fan service maybe?**

 **Bernard: Do I actually care about Nora? Pfft, Hell no! I just want to feel her up a bit. Maybe steal her wallet. That kind of thing. She can offer that while Jackal can't. Well, the feeling up part, anyway. I'm sure I could steal Jackal's wallet too.**

Bruce and Sherry had decided to rest next to a giant lava rock. Sherry was laid out on top of it while Bruce sat leaning next to it. "Well, losing isn't great," Bruce said. "But hey, we have a chance to end a conflict before it gets too bad!"

"Muffin's don't taste like eggplant unless you add cauliflower," Sherry said.

"Question is, who do we side with? Jackal or Nora?" Bruce used.

"Dead pantyhose," Sherry suggested.

Before Bruce could answer, Jackal walked up with a smirk on his face. "Hello, Bruce and Sherry," he said.

Bruce offered Jackal a smile. "Hi Jackal. We were just considering who to vote for tonight. We're not so sure."

Jackal seemed to ponder a moment. "I'd suggest Nora, since she's the main villain of this game," Jackal said. "She hurt Bernard! Who's to say she won't hurt the rest of us? Isn't it better we rid of the evil earlier than later?"

Bruce considered this. "You make a lot of sense," Bruce said. "What do you say Sherry?"

"Fries on seaweed!" Sherry cried.

"Consider us on your side Jackal," Bruce smiled.

Jackal smirked under his mask and nodded. "You won't regret it," he said, starting to walk away. In his head, he said to himself, _Tonight, at least._

 **Confessional: I regret not being more than a wooden box.**

 **Bruce: Seems like I have a solid side on this team. Makes me wonder if this will divide me from the others… I doubt it. They're probably going to vote for Nora as well. No conflict if it's unanimous.**

 **Jackal: Three votes on my side is almost half. I'll just go talk to Tristen and Angelina and boom! Majority and I am safe until the merge.** (Chuckles.) **My job is so easy.**

Angelina was up in a burned tree. It was amazing it was able to support her weight, but it did. She smiled happily as she felt a breeze come in. Unfortunately, she gagged when she realized it was a cloud of smoke.

"You alright up there Angelina?" Tristen called from the ground. Angelina jumped down and gagged.

"Yeah, but now a cloud is in my gut!" she coughed. After a few moments of coughing, she smiled. "It's gone! Yay!"

Tristen offered her a brief smile then turned serious. "Who do you think we should vote for tonight?" Tristen asked.

Angelina thought for a moment before smiling. "Me!" she said happily.

Tristen shook his head. "No. I want you here, not out of the game. I'm sure you do too," Tristen said.

Angelina smirked. "Oh, you want me with you, don't ya?" she giggled.

Tristen blushed slightly. "Not like that!" he said.

"Sure," Angelina said, then giggled when Tristen blushed some more. "I'm kidding, silly."

"If you know what's good for you," Nora said, appearing behind Angelina, "You'll vote for Jackal." Angelina screamed in fright and jumped into Tristen's arms. Before Tristen could reply, Nora walked off.

"She's scary…" Angelina whimpered.

"And evil," Jackal said from behind Tristen. Tristen spun around to see the masked figure. "I have a few people voting for her tonight. You should too," Jackal said and then walked off.

Tristen looked down at the girl in his arms. "Well, at least now we have options," he muttered.

"Yep! … Can you put me down now?" Angelina asked. Tristen obliged and put the girl down. She smiled gratefully. "Alright, so who should we send to the depths of fire? Otherwise known as wherever eliminated people go."

 **Confessional: The playa? I thought that burned down.**

 **Angelina: Ok, we decided who we thought was the best pick. It took me forever because I kept getting distracted by ashes that floated by.** (Stares at the camera.) **What was I talking about again? Oh yeah! Ashes!**

 **(Volcano of Doom)**

The Lying Lava was walked toward the volcano. It turned out to be the size of a geyser. In front of it was a podium and some burnt logs were in front of that. A confessional sat close by. The seven contestants sat on the logs. Soon, Sammy approached the podium, looking shy.

"Where's Topher?" Bruce asked.

"Um… he's getting settled into his trailer," Sammy said shyly. "He wanted me to handle the eliminations this season."

"Sounds acceptable," Jackal nodded.

"Ok, so, uh…" Sammy said nervously. "Before I have you vote, I need to ask you a few questions. So, um… Tristen, how was your first day?"

"Decent. I think I got the adrenaline flowing today," Tristen said. "Sucked to lose though."

"Um… Sherry, what's two times two?" Sammy asked.

"Dolphins flying up your butt!" Sherry giggled.

Sammy blushed. "That's… ok. Jackal, do you think you're safe today?"

Jackal smirked under his mask. "Of course. A villain is going home, and I am most certainly not a villain," he said.

"Ok… Nora, are you a villain?" Sammy asked.

Nora stared at Sammy. "No," she said simply.

Sammy wrung her hands together. "Ok, so, uh, just go into the confessional on by one and, uh, cast you're votes. I'll be, um, back shortly when they are tallied. Bruce, you can go first." Bruce nodded and walked up to the confessional.

When Tristen had casted the last vote, Sammy went timidly off to tally the votes. When she returned, she came back with a trey of six burnt slices of bacon. "This season, Topher wanted to, uh, symbolize fire," Sammy explained. "Burnt toast was at the top of the list, but, um, some people might have considered it a rip-off of some other, um, FanFiction story on the internet."

"Sounds like fun! I love bacon!" Angelina said happily.

"So, those of you who, um, receive a slice of bacon are safe for another day. The one who, um, doesn't will be eliminated and take our new, um, elimination device. And I'm supposed to day that this season, no one will ever come back. Unless it's an All Stars in a few seasons, but that's not, um, important right now."

 _I can dominate that season too_ Jackal smirked to himself.

"Alright, so, the first person to get bacon is, um… Tristen," Sammy said, Tristen smiled as Sammy tossed him a slice. "Also safe are…"

"Angelina."

"Sherry."

"Bernard."

"And Bruce."

Nora and Jackal both sat without a slice of bacon. Nora looked quite calm while Jackal was smirking. _Only one vote. Must be from Nora,_ he thought to himself.

"Um, so I only have one piece of bacon left," Sammy said. "Nora, Jackal, whoever doesn't get this must, um, be eliminated. The person who is safe though is, uh…

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Nora," Sammy said, tossing the girl the last slice.

Jackal sat in silence. Before he exploded. "WHAT THE #$%?!" he screamed. He ripped off his mask angrily, revealing his face, which was red with anger. "I WAS DOMINATING THIS SEASON! I WAS THE VILLAIN! I WAS GOING TO FOOL ALL OF YOU! WHAT THE #$%!?"

Tristen's jaw dropped. "You _were_ the one who pushed Angelina!" he gasped. "I thought you're voice sounded familiar!"

"Told you," Nora shrugged.

"Um, sorry Jackal, but, um, you've been voted off," Sammy said.

"No #$% Sherlock," Jackal muttered angrily. "Where's this new device you want to send me off in?"

"Um, up on the volcano," Sammy said nervously. Jackal grumbled as he followed Sammy up to the mouth. He found that there was a chair wedged in the mouth. He muttered some choice swear words as he buckled himself inside.

"Now what, #$%?" he muttered.

Sammy sighed. "You are in fourteenth place, otherwise known as last," she said. She stomped her foot as hard as she could and jumped off the volcano. Before Jackal could question this, lava spewed from the mouth. With the chair building up pressure, soon, the chair was shot into the air and toward the sea. Jackal screamed all the way until he fell out of sight.

The remaining six Lying Lava gasped. "This is the new, um, elimination method: the Eruption of Shame. It's, um… not very fun," Sammy said. "I'll see you guys later… although I hope not."

 **Confessional: Who didn't see that coming?**

 **Aneglina:** (Pouting.) **Meanie! I was lucky Mr. Boss was there to save me! Good thing I wasn't deceived! Nope!**

 **Bruce: I… I fell for it. I can't believe I feel for a villain's trick…** (Composes himself.) **Well, I won't fall that easy. I might have made a mistake, but I have all game to correct it. I'm not done here yet!**

 **Nora: I knew I would prevail. I knew ever since Sammy walked out with that bacon.**

Sammy entered her trailer with a sigh. That elimination was rough. And it was only the first one! She didn't know if she could handle that drama for another twelve ceremonies. But… Topher wanted her to. And she couldn't say no to him…

Sammy blushed at the thought of the host. She didn't know why he asked her specifically to come work on the show, but she knew that she had a small crush on him. Maybe things would look up for her. Maybe they would start dating. Maybe…

"Hurry up and go to sleep, #$%," Amy muttered. "I was already asleep before you #$% got here."

Oh yeah. Amy's here. Sammy sighed as she shut off the light and laid down on her bed. Amy was probably the one Topher wanted. Sammy was just here because the twins had to be a double package. That was the only reason she was here.

No one loved her enough to want her.

 **(Outro)**

Topher stood in front of the house, trailers, and expanse known as the Lying Lava's home. He grinned at the camera. "That sure was dramatic, huh?" he said. "And guess what? That was only the first episode! With Jackal gone, who will take his spot as villain? What drama will happen next time? Will Tristen pump his adrenaline? Will Roxanne continue to be creepy? Can Tara continue to be a #$%? What words will be said from Sherry's mouth? What location will host the challenge? And who will be the second person voted off? Find out next time on Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **(Chris' Trailer)**

Chris was inside his trailer. It seemed to be set up in the same fashion as the room where Blainely and Quiltal were, with screens, papers, and other things up against the wall. He was currently looking into one screen which had Quiltal's face on it.

"They bought my excuse," Chris said, smirking. "These guys really are idiots, huh?"

"Humans generally are," Quiltal said, smiling evilly. "Now then, the first artifact I seek is in a temple somewhere on the island. All the artifacts are in temples, each housing a guardian to protect it. I, however, don't know the locations of the temples."

Chris nodded. "Sounds simple enough. Find the temple, clear the guardian," Chris said.

"You expect this to be easy," Quiltal said. "Each temple requires three keys. Each key is in a guarded location. The locations are obvious, but retrieving the keys is a perilous feat."

Chris pondered that for a moment… before smirking evilly. "Well, lucky us," he chuckled. "We so happen to have thirteen expendable people right here on the island to retrieve our keys for us. Seems like you chose the right show Quiltal, because we know how to use our resources."

 **Voting Confessional: Here's the votes!**

 **Angelina: So, I talked to Mr. Boss, and he thought that maybe we should vote Jackal. I don't know why, he seems really nice! But, I trust Mr. Boss since he saved me, so I won't complain.**

 **Bernard: I vote Jackal. Not because I want to… but because at least Nora has boobs.**

 **Bruce: Jackal warned me Nora was evil. So, since I want all fights to cease before they truly begin, I will vote as such. Sorry Nora, but evil should not be allowed to reign on this island.**

 **Jackal:** (His mask is off and he's smirking.) **You're not going to defeat me. No one can defeat me! Villains are the true rulers of this game. And who would suspect the hero to play the role of the villain? I vote for Nora.**

 **Nora: I have done all I can. I vote Jackal.**

 **Sherry: Now, the logical me would vote for Nora, like Bruce. Buuuuuuuuuuut, the illogical me would vote for someone no one would expect. Sooooooo… I vote for Bruce! Hill billy squid boy!**

 **Tristen: I recognize Jackal's voice… it sounds like the person who pushed Nora off the cliff. I'm not for sure, but it's not like we know Jackal's real face. So, on this hunch of mine, I vote for Jackal.**

Teams

Lying Lava: Angelina, Bernard, Bruce, Nora, Sherry, Tristen

Valiant Volcanos: Boomer, Gracie, Jeremy, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne, Tara

Eliminated: Jackal

 **BN: So, there you have it! First elimination! Also, I've been wanting to do the song thing for a while, but I didn't know when to do it. I felt now was a better time than any! Yay me!**

 **ELIMINATION: JACKAL**

 **Jackal was a character, who, at first, I didn't know where to place. I thought his gag would be something neat, being a character who played both sides. I thought it would be unique. However, some problems with this were:**

 **-Him being too close to being a mystery villain. This gag has been done over and over, and I already have a mystery villain for a future season. Jackal was too much like this.**

 **-Him being obvious. The only way he could pull this off is if he was not in the same location as himself. As some of the challenge involve close quarters, Jackal would have been found out eventually, sooner rather than later.**

 **-Having no major plot to the story. He was a great idea for a villain, but what did he offer other than a rivalry with Nora? It's not really what I wanted.**

 **Despite this, Jackal offered a lot of positives in being the first boot. Things as such include:**

 **-Showing that villains don't always last far. Sometimes, they are found out quickly and eliminated because of it.**

 **-Showing the characters that villains are subjective. Just because someone says someone else is a villain doesn't mean they are. Same thing about the person who is accusing.**

 **-Shaking the game a little for some of the characters.**

 **-Being a (hopefully) unique first boot that no one really saw coming.**

 **Jackal, in theory, was supposed to be a unique villain, but in the end, I felt he would serve better as the first boot. So, with that, Jackal is the first one out of Total Drama Fire Island.**

 **Like? Hate? Meh? Tell me about it in a review! Or don't! Either works!**

 **Next Time:** Drama happens on both teams and in the staff. Later, the challenge turns out to be traveling to a giant barbeque hole involving steak.


	4. E2 P1: Late Night Jump Scares

**Disclaimer: I own only the 14 OC contestants and Quiltal. Everything else is not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Hey guys, Ben is back yet again with another chapter of this new fic! These guys are a lot easier and more fun to write for, and I'm glad I started this season! Don't get me wrong, TDASB is a blast in itself, but this is a nice breather. I'm thinking of finishing up both episodes and then leaving it up to chance which one I update next. Until then, enjoy!**

Flaming spears of hot death!

E2 P1: Late Night Jump Scares

It was a beautiful night on Fire Island. The stars shown down upon it as a lair of smoke covered the island. Lava pools glowed from the ground they rested upon and small volcanos erupted small spurts. On this island, a young man stood in front of a camera. He smiled and was about to do the introduction for the show known as Total Drama.

"Last time, on Total Drama," Topher, the host, said, "we introduced our brand new season. We selected fourteen brand new contestants, all unique in some fashion, to compete on this brand new island! Our theme this season is fire, and those fourteen suckers now have a new home for two weeks on Fire Island!"

"We had a wide variety of new cast members," Topher continued. "From pacifist Bruce to insane murderer Roxanne. From gentle Gracie to raging Kellie. This season is going to be one to remember, for sure!"

"Our first challenge was a simple foot race to the main place of our stay, the Fire House. Some had an easy run through, such as sneaky Randall. Others had a rough time, like adrenaline junkie Tristen. And others walked slowly because they could, like 'can't keep to herself' Nora."

"In the end, we had seven lucky winners receive a reward," Topher said. "Boomer, Gracie, Jeremy, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne, and Tara all won the opportunity to stay in the Fire House for the entire pre-merge. Meanwhile, Angelina, Bernard, Bruce, Jackal, Nora, Sherry, and Tristen were the unlucky losers, who, not only have to live outside in the smoke, but had to vote someone out."

"While the winning team, the Valiant Volcanos, relaxed and participated in our song twist, the losing team, the Lying Lava, was planning on who to eliminate first," Topher said dramatically. "Jackal was trying to target Nora while Nora was trying to target Jackal. In the end, Jackal was voted off due to being too cocky as a villain and being found out."

"So, which one of these saps will be the unlucky loser today?" Topher said. "What location shall we visit? Will Boomer succeed in making more friends than he already has? Can Tristen get the adrenaline he so much desires? Will Roxanne continue to freak everyone out? And can Nora find a foot hold somewhere on her team? Found out today on Total Drama Fire Island!"

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

Topher took a breath after he had finished the recap. It was late at night and he was ready to get some sleep. He signaled the camera man he was free to go and he walked off toward his trailer. However, before he got there, he noticed Chris was leaving his own, dressed as though he was going somewhere.

"Hey, Chris!" Topher called. Chris glanced over at the host and strolled over with a smile plastered to his face. "What are you doing up this late? I thought a great looking guy like you would get some beauty sleep."

"On a normal day, I would," Chris said, still smiling. "But we don't really have a challenge planned for tomorrow and most of the terrain is unexplored. I'd thought I'd go take a look to see if I can't find a deadly challenge."

Topher thought on this for a moment before nodding. "Good idea. Glad someone's prepared," Topher said with a smile. "Let me know tomorrow morning and we'll head to whatever you find."

Chris smirked. "Trust me, I was planning on it," he said and walked off. Topher grinned after him and headed over to his trailer.

 **Confessional: I plan on sitting here. Forever.**

 **Topher: I'm kind of glad Chris is here. I mean, I love hosting, but I'm kind of disorganized. I don't have a lot of challenges in mind, so the fact Chris is willing to explore the island and possibly mess up his hair for me is a huge sacrifice I'm grateful for. Hopefully the location he finds will be entertaining.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Tara was fast asleep, mumbling a little in her sleep. Gracie was also asleep, smiling. Nothing seemed in disarray and looked quite peaceful. However, something was forgotten. Something Gracie neglected to do before she went to sleep.

The door creaked open and someone stepped inside. An evil smile crossed this person's face she they walked quietly forward. They stood above Tara, looking down upon her. They raise dup their hand, which held a sharp knife. The grin grew as it was lowered down quickly.

Tara bolted awake instantly, screamed, and rolled to the other side of the bed. Gracie was awakened by the noise and flicked on the lights. Tara looked around in a panic, searching for her murderer. But no one was there.

"What's wrong?" Gracie yawned, rubbing her eyes.

Tara glared at the rich girl and gestured to the door. "You forgot to lock it, you #$%! I was almost killed by the freak!" Tara growled.

Gracie sighed, shaking her head. "No one's here," she said, getting out of bed and walking to the door. She jiggled the handle. It was, indeed, locked. "And I did lock the door. You were just having a bad dream."

"But… I _saw_ her! I know she's in here! I _know_ she is!" Tara exclaimed frantically.

Gracie shook her head. "Only a dream, Tara," Gracie yawned as she got back into bed. "Try to go back to sleep, ok? We have a challenge tomorrow." Gracie switched off the light and turned around. Tara, still in shock, slowly and eventually shut her eyes.

Unbeknownst to both of them, a smile glinted from beneath Tara's bed.

 **Confessional: I don't have a mouth, so it wasn't me!**

 **Gracie:** (Black circles were under her eyes.) **Tara woke me up five times. I don't know what has her so spooked, but no one was in the room. And the door was locked too.** (Sighs.) **I want to be her friend and patch things up for me inadvertently ruining her life, but she's seriously ruining my night.**

 **Tara:** (Looks terrified.) **I** _ **know**_ **Roxanne was in out room! I** _ **know**_ **it! I don't know where she went whenever I woke up Gracie, but if I wasn't half asleep every time, I'd be dead. Roxanne** _ **must**_ **leave! She** _ **has**_ **to leave!**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggles.) **I should hide under people's beds more often.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Bruce was asleep, leaning against the rock he and Sherry had found earlier. As he dreamed, he looked conflicted, as though his dreams were something that was challenging him. He shook his head, trying to throw the dream off.

"No… no… don't push her off… I didn't mean it like that…" he muttered in his sleep. "Please… stop… don't fight… no…"

Sherry looked down on Bruce curiously. "Seems like he's having a nightmare," she noted. A smirk crossed her face. "Lucky banana face."

 **Confessional: Do bananas have faces?**

 **Bruce:** (Looks tired.) **I had a nightmare last night. I hate having to relive that every few nights or so. I made a mistake by getting involved in conflict. I can't do it again.** (Thinks about it.) **Maybe I should ally with someone who isn't really on either side. That way, no conflict can come about.**

 **Sherry: The logical side of me wants to comfort Bruce. But screw that! I'm going to try and break him today by being just as annoying as yesterday!**

 **(Twin's Trailer)**

 _Sammy smiled happily. She was riding on the back of a motorcycle with her boyfriend, going to some unknown place for a date he had planned. She giggled at the thought of it._

 _When they had finally reached the place, it was in a clearing in the middle of a forest with a field of flowers. A small yellow blanket with a picnic basket was set up in the clearing. Sammy got off the motorcycle and smiled at her boyfriend._

" _This is amazing," she said, turning around._

 _Her dream boyfriend took off his helmet, revealing Topher. Sammy smiled and walked over to him. Topher smiled at her. They leaned in for a kiss, but right before they could…_

" _ **SCREEEEEEEEE!**_ "

"WHAAAA?!" Sammy screamed awake. She blinked a few times to be awake and saw that Amy had put on a mask that resembled Freddy from FNAF. Sammy shivered while Amy laughed as she took it off.

"Priceless!" she giggled while Sammy looked at her sister in fear. "I could get used to teasing you every night like that."

"B-b-but Topher needs me to be well rested…" Sammy said nervously. Amy paused when she heard this and a smirk appeared on her lips.

"Needs _you_?" Amy scoffed. "Puh-lease! Topher doesn't need _you_. He wanted _me_ to come onto the show so I could teach these #$% losers that they are worthless #$%. You? You're here not because he wants you, but because Chris wanted a two for one deal. So you're only here because we're twins."

"B-b-b-but," Sammy started to protest. However, she was cut short when Amy approached her and slapped her across the face. Sammy yelped, but soon silenced herself.

"Good. You're better off silent, #$%," Amy muttered. "Of all the #$% sisters I could have ended up with, I have to #$% put up with you." Amy walked across the trailer to her bed while Sammy just laid awake in fear.

 **Confessional: Can wood feel fear?**

 **Sammy:** (Looks upset.) **No one wants me… why…**

 **Amy: Ok, so what? I lied. Big #$% deal. Sammy can't be allowed to feel like she belongs. She's my personal servant I can do anything I #$% want to. If Sammy feels acceptance by Topher or anyone, she'll realize that she can fight back. And I obviously can't let that happen.**

 **(The Next Morning)**

Topher was outside his trailer, just sitting on the steps and sipping something from a mug he was holding. He sighed in happiness after he took a quick sip. "Nothing better than a nice mug of coffee to start the day," he mused.

"Ew. Like, tea is so much better," Amy complained, approaching the trailer. Topher sighed, shaking his head.

"What do you want? I'm trying to enjoy myself a little longer before I have to deal with you," Topher said.

"Hmph. Rude," Amy said haughtily. "Chris came by and asked me to give this to you. He said he needed to catch up on his sleep since he was out all night." Amy pulled a map out of her pocket. Topher reached out and took it from her.

When Amy didn't leave, Topher sighed. "Is there something _else_ you want?" he asked. Amy smirked.

"In fact, there is," she said. Suddenly, her eyes turned cold and hateful. "Stay the #$% away from my sister. She's _my_ slave. Stay. The #$%. Away."

Before Topher could say anything to that dark comment, Amy simply turned around and walked away. Topher stared after her, wondering what the heck that was all about. He simply decided to shrug and unfolded the map to see where Chris wanted them to go.

 **Confessional: I always wanted to go up.**

 **Topher:** (Looks slightly confused.) **I wonder where that came from. I know Amy is an abusive sister… but why tell me to back off? She doesn't even** _ **know**_ **anything about me or what I'm feeling.** (Sighs.) **Honestly, Amy is good for one thing: being a complete #$%.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

As the contestants were waking up, Kellie was yawning and stretching from her bed. She was well rested and felt that today would be ok. She got out of bed and said, "I think today I won't be angry."

"Morning #- I mean, beautiful," Randall said, entering the house from the door across from Kellie's bed. Kellie looked at Randall for less than a second before turning red in rage.

"YOU #$% #$%!" she roared. "PERV! I'M GOING TO RIP YOU'RE FACE OFF!"

"Sounds fun and all, really, it does," Randall smirked. "But I have a prior engagement I have to attend to. You haven't seen Roxanne, have you?"

" #$% YOU! I'M GOING TO CASTRATE YOU SO HARD, YOU WOULD FEEL AS THOUGH YOU WEREN'T EVER BORN!" Kellie screamed. Randall simply shrugged.

"I've heard that one before," he said. "Amazingly enough, I haven't been castrated yet. Roxanne?"

Kellie glared at Randall for a moment. " #$% if I know," she muttered.

"Helpful. Perhaps you'll be useful after all," Randall said and walked up the ramp leading up to the higher levels. Kellie stared after him for a few minutes before exploding.

"WHAT THE #$% DOES THAT MEAN?!" she yelled.

 **Confessional: That SPAM actually has a use?**

 **Kellie: Randall's a #$%. I should probably eliminate him for ticking me off so much…** (Looks carefully at the camera.) **STOP STARING, #$% STALKERS!**

 **Randall: Ticking Kellie off is a perfect way to start the contest. See, if everyone sees her as a threat for hurting people due to her uncontrollable anger, then she'll be voted off over Roxanne. I, of course, want to be eliminated over Roxanne. See, my plan's quite simple. All I need is to confirm with Roxanne and boom! Villain's got this made!**

At the top of the building, Boomer, Jeremy, and Gracie were all gathered. Gracie was lying face down on the floor while Boomer and Jeremy looked at each other carefully. Finally, Jeremy decided to drop the question.

"So… why are you lying on the floor?" Jeremy asked.

Gracie groaned, rolling over. Dark circles were prominent under her eyes. "Tara kept me up _all_ night. She kept saying someone was in our room, wanting to kill her…"

Boomer cocked his head. "I DON'T GET IT! WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO KILL TARA WITH NO REASON?" he asked.

"That's just it. The door was _locked_ when I went to sleep. I even checked it. When I woke up, _no one_ was in our room. I kept telling Tara it was a dream, but she was insistent," Gracie moaned. "I'm so tired right now…"

Jeremy and Boomer looked at each other. "SEEMS TO ME TARA IS PARANOID," Boomer said loudly. "PERHAPS WE CAN CONVINCE HER TO KEEP FROM PREVENTING GRACIE TO SLEEP?!"

"Maybe a trade of votes?" Jeremy suggested. "If we convince Tara that we'll vote for whoever she's so scared of, then maybe she'll quit bugging Gracie at night."

"SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!" Boomer boomed. "SHOULD I TALK TO HER, OR SHOULD YOU?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I should probably do it. Tara doesn't seem to like loud noises," Jeremy said, standing. "Gracie, you can rest here for a while. Boomer will get you when it's time for the challenge." Gracie gave Jeremy a thumbs up as he left the room.

 **Confessional: I don't have thumbs.**

 **Boomer: I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S UP, BUT I HOPE IT ISN'T DRAMATIC! ALL THE PAST SEASONS HAVE TOO MUCH DRAMA AND NOT ENOUGH FUN! MAYBE I CAN TALK SOME MORE PEOPLE AND HAVE FUN WITH THIS SEASON!**

 **Gracie:** (Is fast asleep, her head leaning against the wall.)

 **Jeremy: Tara** _ **did**_ **act in** _ **My Little Brony**_ **. Maybe if I speak to her like she was Midnight Twinkle, then she'd be willing to accept this temporary alliance offer.**

Right outside the house at Randall's lava pool, Tara was walking past. She was wide eyed and was fearfully looking around in fear of Roxanne. She saw no one, but she wasn't going to let that deceive her. She passed by the pool and noticed a blanket by the pool.

"Was this where she's staying?" she muttered. "It'd make sense, seeing she's the animal she is…"

"I'm not an animal!" said an excited voice. Tara screamed and turned around to see Roxanne smiling her cute, evil smile behind her. "I just don't like feeling human!"

Tara nervously backed away from Roxanne. "Er… why?" she asked, trying to distract her while she planned her exit strategy.

"I'm glad you asked!" Roxanne said happily. "Humans are weak and feel pain too easy. I mean, what the #$%, am I right? I don't want to be a human since they die easy. I feel it's best to separate myself from humans and be their destroyer so they don't have to live their feeble lives any longer!"

Tara turned a slight shade of green upon hearing this. She looked around her and saw a path leading downward to the main ground. "That's… nice, but I have to… RUN!" she screamed and ran away from Roxanne at her top speed. Roxanne cocked her head for a moment before smiling.

"A chase kill! Fun!" she said happily and ran after her.

 **Confessional: Chase kills are annoying because they always end up getting away.**

 **Roxanne: Tara sure can run fast! Like my pet bunny when he doesn't want his annual limb hacked off!**

 **Tara:** (Shivering.) **I didn't shake her for** _ **ten minutes**_ **. She was hunting me like a cat to a mouse. I can't take this anymore, Roxanne** _ **must**_ **go.** _ **NOW**_ **!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Tristen was currently alone doing push-ups. He felt the best way to start off his day was to push himself as hard as he could pre-challenge. After all, being ready for something physical was always appealing to him.

"Hey Mr. Boss! Sleep well?" Angelina asked, bouncing out of a tree and onto his back. Tristen didn't even seem to be effected by the weight of Angelina and kept on doing his work-out routine.

"I'm doing quite well, actually," he huffed. "I felt the elimination went well last night. I wouldn't have thought Jackal to be evil first thought of him though."

"Yeah, he was a real meanie face," Angelina pouted. "But, plus side, we didn't go home! I wonder if not going home means I can't get a cookie."

Tristen raised an eyebrow as he continued pushing himself up and down. "I don't understand how cookies relate to home," he said.

Angelina seemed in thought for a moment. "My mum always makes me cookies," Angelina giggled. "Always…" There was silence for a moment. "Well, no time like the present to suggest a new topic! What gung ho stuff should we kick in the butt today, Mr. Boss?!"

"You don't have to call me that," Tristen chuckled. "Perhaps we should secure ourselves in different alliances. That way, we have options come the next time we vote."

"Good thinking!" Angelina declared, jumping off Tristen's back. "I'll go give them cookies!" Tristen chuckled as Angelina bolted off.

 **Confessional: I can't eat them though…**

 **Tristen: I'm quite a fan of Angelina's energy. She's not like most girls I know. I would compare her to Izzy from the original cast… but Angelina is way more sane. Sure, she has her own fun quirks, but I'd take her over Izzy any day.** (Thinks about something for a moment.) **I wonder which alliance I should try to befriend. Bruce seems to have something going on and Nora seems to be out of allies. Eh, we may not even lose, so I'll worry about it later.**

 **Angelina: COOKIES ARE GOOD!** (Reaches into her pocket and pulls out an Oreo. She plops it into her mouth.) **Yum! Has a slight taste of lint for bonus flavor!**

Bernard groaned as he reluctantly woke up from his slumber. He had chosen to rest on a pile of rocks, which didn't seem to be one of his best choices in the world. "I should have risked falling from a tree," he muttered.

Bernard stood up and looked around. He saw no one around him too close by. He sighed and shrugged. "I guess I'll just go find food myself," he said. "I'd rather force the black girl to do it, because nothing about racism is wrong and I don't have issues."

He turned around and screamed. Nora sat calmly with her legs crossed and eyes closed. Besides her were some cooked eggs. Bernard was afraid to speak for a few moments. "What the #$%?" he finally muttered.

"You don't admit you have issues due to the fact that your own parents are counselors and see error in what you do," Nora said blandly. "Denying what you do is wrong is your way of retaliating."

Bernard pouted childishly. "You know, the fact you act like a #$% is turning me off to you," he muttered, reaching for one of the eggs. Nora made no move to stop him and Bernard successfully grabbed one.

"You're parents didn't teach you manners because they were far too concerned about you trying to grope poor innocent girls," Nora muttered.

Bernard frowned, stuffing the egg into his mouth. "Oh yefh? Shuf uf!" he said, his mouth full. He briskly walked away from Nora, looked annoyed. Nora simply shrugged and continued to sit peacefully.

 **Confessional: I would shut up if I knew how exactly I was talking.**

 **Bernard: Nora's strange, I'll give her that.** (Smirks.) **Strange, but #$% hot. I wonder if I can get a nice handful of that…** (Smacks himself in the head.) **No! I have to stop that nonsense for a few moments! As far as I know, not a lot of people like me. Eh, what do I care? I** _ **do**_ **however, need votes on my side. I guess I can see some hot potential in the other two chicks. I'll try them. Nora's #$% hot and all, but she's a #$%. Why have a #$% what I can have a submissive chick that I can totally abuse?**

 **Nora: Bernard believes he has security because he's a self-centered piece of #$%. Just because I can read people does not mean my opinion of him cannot be the same.** (Silent for a moment.) **Topher left the eggs and a note near where I slept. I had given all the contestants an egg. Apparently he'll give us food every so often.**

Sherry was sitting on top of her rock, looking down on it. She had set up a sort of Tic-Tac-Toe board using smaller lava rocks. She only had a simple O in the middl, but she was smiling like a maniac. "I WIN!" she said happily.

"At what?" Bruce asked, walking by.

"Beating bees in the face with a plunger," Sherry said, showing Bruce her game. Bruce looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

"Erm… you only have one O in the middle. You're supposed to have three in a row," Bruce pointed out.

"Only when the kangaroo uses the screwdriver to kill the donkey," Sherry pouted. "Who are you to slap the penguin?"

Bruce simply shrugged. "Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but not all things revolve around illogic," Bruce said. "Look, since we didn't win the vote last night, I feel as though we need more allies. I'm not solid on who we should ask, but I'm open to ideas."

"Sporks!" Sherry proclaimed.

Bruce lightly chuckled, shaking his head. "And I forgot who I'm talking to," he said. "Alright, I'm going to go try and loop us some allies. You… do whatever you do." Bruce made his way to find someone more intelligent to talk to while Sherry simple shrugged. She set up a new game and looked at the board carefully. She placed an X in the top right corner.

"I WIN!"

 **Confessional: Odds are you'll tie more.**

 **Sherry: Bruce can be grating with all this logic. For being a pacifist, he sure does want to eliminate people. If I were playing this game with any sort of logic, I'd tell him he's seriously overthinking all of this. Buuuuuuuuuuuut, this is all about not making sense… so I'll just tell him monkey's don't have butts and call it good.**

 **Bruce: Sherry's not the best of allies since she isn't really… stable in what she says. I can understand the gist of what she says, but I need someone a bit saner. And neutral, such as myself. No arguments means I can work with them. Perhaps Tristen. He seems at least remotely sane in some aspect.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Kellie was randomly walking up and down the ramp to cool herself off. After Randall had ticked her off, she found it relaxing to just breath deeply and have no one speaking to her. "I don't have to explode if I'm alone," she said quietly.

"HI!"

"Oh, #$% me now," Kellie muttered and turned to see Boomer standing in front of her with a smile. "What the #$% do you want?"

"I'M LOOKING FOR SOME FRIENDS!" Boomer said. "I THOUGHT MAYBE SINCE WE'RE BOTH LOUD, WE'D MAKE A GOOD TEAM!"

Kellie's eye twitched. "You calling me loud?!" she said, her voice rising.

"IT'S NOT REALLY A BAD THING!" Boomer shrugged. "I QUITE LIKE LOUD! IT'S THE ONLY VOLUME I CAN HEAR VERY WELL AT, BUT IT'S OK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO!"

Kellie was stunned by that, her anger subsiding. "Um… oh," she said. "Well… alright then, I guess."

"MY NAME'S BOOMER MCBOOM, IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW!" Boomer said, walking up to Kellie and offering his hand. Kellie looked at it carefully before offering a soft smile and shaking it.

"Kellie Heller," she said. Boomer smiled.

"NICE TO MEET YOU! I'D LOVE TO CHAT MORE, BUT JEREMY LEFT ME IN CHARGE OF ANOTHER FRIEND! I'M SURE THE CHALLENGE IS SOON, SO WE CAN TALK MORE THEN!" Boomer said with a smile and walked up the ramp. Kellie looked after him, looking very much confused.

 **Confessional: Boomer's last name is McBoom?**

 **Kellie:** (Looks suspicious.) **He has an angle. He wants me for something. THAT #$% CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME! I KNOW HE'S UP TO SOMETHING!** (Looks conflicted.) **But… why didn't I feel as though that was true?**

 **Boomer: I CAN'T REALLY HEAR QUIET NOISES! LUCKILY FOR ME, I CAN READ LIPS! I'VE HAD PRACTICE EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID!**

Gracie was lying on Jeremy's bed with a smile on her face. She was fast asleep and she seemed to be enjoying it. She sighed happily from the dream she was having.

 **Confessional: Too bad I don't have dreams.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks well rested and has a smile on her face.) **There, that was better. Nothing like a nice refreshing sleep to wake me up.** (Giggles then looks serious.) **Hopefully Jeremy's doing ok in finding out who Tara wants gone. I can't do this** _ **every**_ **morning.**

Tara was hiding behind a burnt tree in front of the big house. She was sure she had lost Roxanne a while ago, but she wasn't going to reveal herself to find out. She took calming breaths to keep her sane. "I'll be fine, just fine. She can't kill you," Tara muttered. "Who am I kidding? Thatfreak will do whatever the #$% she wants if I don't get rid of her soon!"

"Hello."

"ARGH!"

Tara, on instinct, punched whoever walked in front of her in the face. The person recoiled backward and held their jaw in pain. Tara looked closely to find that it was Jeremy who had approached. He rubbed his now bruised jaw with a slight look of annoyance.

"Don't you _dare_ sneak up on me, you #$%," Tara growled, looking fearful.

"Sorry, I thought saying hello was a nice think to say," he grunted. "Note to self: saying hello only gets you punched in the face."

Tara rolled her eyes. "What the #$% do you want? Can't you see I'm busy hiding from the freak?"

Jeremy looked around the area. "The only person I see is you," he said.

Tara sighed. "That's because I lost her, dumbass," she muttered. "I'll repeat: what the #$% do you want?"

"Well, originally I was going to ask you who had you so spooked that you kept Gracie up all night," Jeremy said, "but since you just punched me in the face and ran from literally no one…"

" _I'm not paranoid!"_ Tara hissed. "That _thing_ has tried to kill me _three #$% times!_ I swear, I'll stop keeping Gracie awake if you help me _destroy_ that monster!"

Jeremy looked somewhat conflicted. "Well… who is it? I'll think about it," Jeremy said.

Tara glared. "No, that just means you'll do nothing until something happens," Tara grumbled. "Never mind. I'll eliminate Roxanne myself." Tara carefully walked away, looking around carefully in fear.

 **Confessional: I can't really do anything anyway.**

 **Tara: Sad thing is, I don't** _ **have**_ **any allies. The only way I can defeat Roxanne is if I can get people to eliminate her. But no one** _ **believes**_ **me! Jeremy doesn't believe me, Gracie didn't believe me, so how do I rid of a monster who has nothing against her?**

 **Jeremy:** (Looks conflicted.) **I want Gracie to sleep well… but Tara didn't seem the trustworthy type. She kept acting paranoid, as if someone was going to pounce on her any second.** (Pauses.) **At least now I know who she's afraid of: Roxanne. I guess I can talk to Roxanne and see what she has to say.**

Currently, up by the main lava pool, Roxanne was giggled. She had received her luggage and had taken out a jar which had in it a live lizard. She was currently dipping the lizard in the lava, giggled as it wiggled around in pain as it unfortunately burned to death.

"So much fun," she giggled.

"Looks that way," someone said, Roxanne briefly looked up to see Randall approach. She gave him her signature evil smile.

"You look like you'd be fun to meat hook," she said, smiling sweetly. "One in both knees, maybe on through the neck…"

"Don't forget my eye-sockets. That'd be cool to see, wouldn't it?" Randall suggested.

Roxanne gasped and gave an evil giggle. "OMG! That'd be so adorable to see! Good idea," she said. Randall offered her a smile.

"You have good taste," he said. "How about I offer an alliance to you? I help you give some of these lovely victims a proper and fun death, you doing all the fun bits, of course, and we can vote off anyone you find disinteresting. That sound like a good plan?"

Roxanne cocked her head before smiling. "Sure! But can we kill before we vote?" she asked sweetly.

Randall chuckled lightly. "Whatever you want, I shall do," he said.

 **Confessional: Can wood be killed?**

 **Roxanne: Yay! I have a partner in crime! Maybe he would like to die by having lava fall drop by drop all over his bare body! Think of the screams of agony he'd give off!**

 **Randall: Geez, Roxanne is crazier than I thought.** (He smirks.) **She's the perfect villain to aid to the end! The problem is getting votes on our side. Since I have to act all sneaky and such, it might be an issue. But hey, so long as Roxanne wins, I won't complain.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina was skipping around with a smile on her face. She didn't really have anything of importance to do, but she didn't really care. She bounced around and giggled. "I feel as though I should say I'm like a cheap rip off of some cartoon character," she said randomly, "but I'm too happy!"

She continued to happily skip around until she felt something grab her butt from behind. She eeped and jumped in a full circle, swinging her legs in a roundhouse kick. She caught whoever had grabbed her in the face and sent them flying back.

When she landed, she looked closely to see it was Bernard. She skipped over to him, her smil having returned to her face. "Are you ok? I meant to hit a magical butt monkey trying to steal my butt a moment ago, but I must have accidently kicked you instead."

Bernard groaned, rubbing his face. "No, I'm not ok," he muttered. He then smirked as he saw Angelina's breasts dangling in front of him. "But I know what will make me feel better."

"Good! In the meantime, I have a giant carrot to find!" she said and turned around. However, Bernard was leaning forward to touch Angelina's boobs, and unfortunately for him, he fell flat on his face at the momentum he was going.

"Ow…" he muttered.

 **Confessional: Everyone hates Bernard! That should totally be a show.**

 **Bernard: Ugh… why can't I get a fistful of boob or ass?!** _ **Why?!**_ (Holds up a wallet.) **Snagged this from her butt pocket though. Hey, if it's there, it's up for grabs.** (He opens it and finds it's empty.) **Huh? That was a waste of my time…**

 **Angelina:** (Pulls out a wallet from within her cleavage and shows a bunch of photos of herself.) **This picture is of me buying a bunch of spare wallets I hide in my back pocket! You never know when a butt monkey might show up and want some leather.**

Nora was wandering the area by herself, taking note that the terrain seems the same over most of the land. She also took note of a few mountains and bigger volcanos in the distance. She suspected they could be future challenge areas.

"So predictable," she grumbled.

"Cake is no longer a lie if the sparrow hates the train," someone said. Nora looked up to see that she had wandered over to the rock where Sherry currently was. Sherry had abandoned Tic-Tac-Toe and was now carving a circle on the top of the rock.

"You're the one who's faking being illogical so you may pass along by as a complete dumbass," Nora noted. "You do so not only for attention but to be known for the wrong reasons."

Sherry looked at Nora for a moment before sighing. "You take all the fun out of it," she muttered. "How'd you figure it out?"

"Simple. You dress in something that signifies you know what you're doing. If you were as illogical as you said, you'd be wearing something that didn't make sense. Plus, I would have figured you'd look more illogical if you truly were. Since you seem fairly organized, it led me to realize how smart you truly are," Nora said.

Sherry giggled. "You sure do think you know everything," she said.

"Hardly. Redrick taught me to be observant," Nora said. "If we lose again, I would like to form a temporary alliance between us. I wish to keep the sane person around, and considering my options, you are the only sane one here."

"Fish don't like piledrivers," Sherry giggled. "Sorry, but I fly with the wind on a hot Tuesday. Catch you when you die in the washroom wearing nothing but a killer whale." Sherry jumped off her rock and disappeared. Nora blinked.

"Power of television," Nora said and walked off.

 **Confessional: How'd she figure it out?**

 **Nora: Sherry's made it obvious she's being dumb on purpose. But she has hidden reasons for that I will not mention for the sake of thy are not useful. If Sherry isn't going to join my side and be sane, I'll have to eliminate her.** (Looks a bit saddened.) **Shame. She looks like she'd be fun…**

 **Sherry: Nora wants to keep me around, does she? Hmm… what would illogical Sherry do in this instance?** (Giggles.) **I** _ **could**_ **dance around in my underwear in front of the confessional camera, but I have something better in mind.**

Tristen was continuing his push-ups from earlier. He seemed to be picking up the pace now, and a slight amount of sweat was forming on his face. "A few more and I'll take a break," he huffed.

"You seem to be working hard," Bruce commented, approaching Tristen.

"Yeah, well, I do love the rush," Tristen chuckled. "The harder I work, the better I feel. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was thinking earlier, and I find that you and I are kind of the only sane men here," Bruce said. "I'd like to propose a sort of side alliance between us. Not only would it reduce conflict, but we could be killer allies."

Tristen thought for a moment as he went up and down. "I'll think about it," he said. "Who would we target first if we were to align?"

"Depends on who's causing chaos at the time," Bruce shrugged. "If arguments start popping up because of one individual, best way to resolve the conflict is eliminate them. No violence necessary."

Tristen nodded, stopping his workout and standing up. "In that case, consider me on board," he said. Bruce offered him a hand, which he promptly shook without hesitation.

 **Confessional: I'd push up of gravity didn't push down.**

 **Tristen: Seems to me as though I have two solid allies in Angelina and Bruce. I like Bruce's idea of eliminating the conflict before it gets severe. Hopefully Angelina doesn't cause anything too bad though. Otherwise, this could get messy.**

 **Bruce: The way I see it, Nora and Bernard are on the outskirts and the most likely to cause conflict. I might try gunning for Bernard first, since at least Nora can act civil. But things can change from now to elimination, so we'll have to see.**

Randall had decided to leave the house and explore the area. He was also wanting to see some of the members of the Lying Lava. He had a good villain on his team, but what kind of amazing villains did the Lying Lava have?

"Obviously, that one kid I ran into yesterday was a fake wannabe," Randall said to himself. "Maybe that girl in black? She seemed interesting, to say the least. That perv was weird though, so I'll count him out."

"What are we talking about?" someone whispered into his ear. Randall screamed and spun around. Angelina stood in front of him, smiling. "If it's about pie, my favorite is peach!"

"I'm not talking about pie, you useless piece of… I mean, no, I'm just talking about the other contestants," he corrected. "What do you think of them? I think they all should #$% die in the… I mean, I like most of them."

"Me too! Some of them are a bit weird and kooky, but at least I'm the sane one!" Angelina declared.

Randall was about to question this when a crackling could be heard. "Attention contestants," came Topher's voice. "We are about to begin the next challenge. To transport you to the next location, please meet up by the staff trailers. We'll give you a ride with our four-wheelers. That is all."

"Looks like it's time for me to brutally crush… I mean, beat you in the challenge," Randall told Angelina. However, Angelina had disappeared form sight, making Randall look around in confusion. "Where the #$% did she go?"

 **Confessional: Where the weird kids go!**

 **Angelina: I was going to stay and chat, but I thought I saw a butterfly and had to make sure! It turned out to be a speck of ash, but it was better to be safe than sorry.**

 **Randall: Angelina is a goof who shouldn't even be here. She's a worthless excuse of a contestant. We could have had a rock hard villain, but know, we end up with her.**

 **(Grill Pit)**

Topher, Amy, and Sammy had loaded up as many contestants as they could (Amy reluctantly) onto their four-wheelers and had driven them a good distance away from the main camp. They had stopped at a giant pit in the ground that covered a good distance. As the contestants gathered around Topher, Amy, and Sammy, they noticed a ramp leading all around the side of the pit leading toward the bottom. Smoke was wafting from the pit and glowed at the bottom.

"Welcome to your second challenge!" Topher said. "Since this season has the theme of fire, we were thinking of challenges we could possibly do relating to that. Last night, Chris found this lovely place, which gave me a brilliant idea."

"Which I had to execute," Amy grumbled.

Topher ignored Amy and continued. "What's something at home we all love to eat every so often?" Topher asked.

"Marshmallows!" Angelina shouted.

"POPCORN!" Boomer shouted.

"Whale meat!" Sherry exclaimed.

"I like a good steak every once in a while," Bruce shrugged.

"Bruce is spot on," Topher said. "Earlier this morning, Amy went down to the bottom of the pit and placed exactly twelve steaks. This pit has a natural fire going, and also has rocks that are shaped like a grill. Thus, we've named this location the Grill Pit."

"Creative name," Amy snarked.

Topher rolled his eyes. "The goal of the challenge is to send one contestant at a time down the ramp to the bottom of the pit to collect one steak," Topher said. "Once one of the teams have collected six steaks, they will win immunity! The losing team will have to vote someone off."

"Hold on! They have seven members to our six!" Bernard whined.

"I know, Bernard, I was getting to that," Topher muttered. "Valiant Volcanos, because the teams are not even, you must sit someone out of the challenge."

"I'm out. I'm still kind of tired from last night," Gracie yawned.

"Hey! I was going to sit out!" Tara complained.

"Too late, Gracie called it," Topher said with a shrug. "Now, as we'll be sending you one at a time, we have already randomly preselected the order in which you'll go. We'll start with Nora and Randall. Stand in position and Amy will call you off shortly."

The two contestants from either team nodded and went to stand at the start of the pit. Topher turned to the camera and grinned. "Who will get the steak the fastest? What drama will happen up at the top? Which team will win? And who will be eliminated second? Find out after the break!"

 **Confessional: Needs more sauce.**

 **Randall: As Roxanne seems outnumbered, I won't try to throw the challenge this time. But in the future, when we have the majority, I might slip up a few times to give Roxanne a few round. As for racing against Nora, I doubt I'll have issues.**

 **Tara: How come** _ **Gracie**_ **gets to sit out?! She caused me pain and suffering already! Why must she cause me more?!**

 **Boomer: I LIKE STEAK! MAYBE TOPHER WILL LET ME HAVE SOME AFTER THE CHALLENGE! YOU KNOW, AFTER THE STEAK ISN'T NEEDED ANYMORE!**

 **Tristen: Running up and down a pit? Seems like a cinch. All that adrenaline pumping should keep me on my feet during my run. I'd like to think we could win this time.**

 **Next Time:** The contestants run down to get the steak, but it's harder than it seems. A song is sung, one team loses, and someone is voted out.


	5. E2 P2: The Grill Pit

**Disclaimer: I own the 14 OC contestants and Quiltal. Everything else if pretty much not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Sorry I took forever to update. My EAH fics kind of kept me occupied for a while. As of current, this fic (between my TD fics, anyway) is my main focus for one episode more. So expect another chapter of that before or on Christmas! With nothing much else to say, enjoy the chapter!**

Time to steak a claim!

E2 P2: The Grill Pit

The horn had sounded and Nora and Randall both ran toward the path for their respective teams. The path was wide enough for both of them to fit side by side and they jogged down the spiral. After a few minutes of jogging, Randall decided to start a conversation.

"Hi, I'm Randall!" he offered. "I love to squash your he… I mean, compete with you in this challenge!"

"Save it. I know you're pretending to be sneaky in order to make yourself a pawn in the eliminations so a villain can win this season," Nora said bluntly. "Can't say I love the strategy."

Randall shrugged. "You do what you can for the season to be entertaining," he said with a shrug, dropping the sneaky part of his sentence. "How did you figure it out?"

"No one acts that dumb on purpose," Nora said. "Not even Lindsey is that dumb on her own account. You wouldn't blatantly act sneaky unless you had some type of goal in mind. And with the way you were acting, I had to assume you were making yourself bait. And since heroes don't need bait, I had to assume that you wanted a hero to win, thus, the guess was accurate."

Randall eyed Nora carefully. "It sounds like you had to guess a lot in making that assumption," he said.

"On the contrary, a lot of what I do is hard facts," Nora said. "I might make assumptions to reach my main answer, but I use facts to get me there. It's why observing is key in any situation. The more you observe about someone or something, the more you can assume. Redrick taught me that."

"He your dad? Pretty smart guy, teaching you how to be all knowing," Randall said with a smirk.

Nora's face hardened and her pace quickened. "No. We aren't related," she muttered. She had pulled ahead of Randall enough to diffuse the conversation. She muttered to herself, "Better off that way."

 **Confessional: Better off eating bacon.**

 **Randall: Nora's interesting… and a threat. She's too observant for her own good. She might out the villains one by one and get them voted off! No, no, no, I can't let her do that! Nope! Maybe I can persuade her team to vote her off, the sneaky way! If they lose, that is. And I'm quite hoping that they lose.**

 **Nora: Randall's targeting weak points without knowing. Despite acting as elimination fodder, he cuts it as a villain. Maybe information that could pay off later, if it becomes useful to me.**

At the top of the pit, the contestants were simply waiting for the other two to come back up. They soon realized that this was going to be a long challenge. "HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT?" Boomer asked.

"Well, Amy took forever to walk up and down," Topher said, earning a glare from the said twin, "but I would like to say, at the top speed, ten minutes per person."

"Too bad we don't know the whole order," Bernard mused. "Then I would know how much nap-time I could potentially get."

"Lucky for me, I have a pass on this challenge," Gracie sighed happily, lying on the somewhat hot ground. "I get to nap all challenge long."

A perverted grin appeared on Bernard's face. "Sweet. I'll just guard your boobs while you sleep," he said. Gracie got a look of panic on her face when Jeremy walked over in-between the two.

"I got an eye on her, thanks," Jeremy said. Bernard pouted and Gracie gave Jeremy a look of gratitude before laying down. Jeremy winked at her and smiled.

 **Confessional: I'd wink if I had eyes.**

 **Boomer: I MEAN, I CAN WAIT AND ALL, BUT I LOVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE TEAM RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?! NOT MUCH DOING ANYTHING WHEN I'M JUST STANDING THERE LIKE A TREE! I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO BE A TREE! AT LEAST, I DON'T THINK I DID! I DIDN'T REALLY READ THE CONTRACT VERY WELL!**

 **Gracie: From Tara keeping me up at night to Bernard being… a perv, it's like the world doesn't want me to sleep!** (Smiles.) **I'm glad Jeremy was sweet enough to watch after me though. He's a good friend.**

Back in the pit, Nora was still a good distance from Randall. At least, for the moment. She suddenly had to screech to a stop when she came across a hole in the path, which extended across the whole path. This allowed for Randall to catch up.

"Whoa. That's one big hole," he commented.

"I noticed," Nora rolled her eyes. "How do you think we should cross it?"

Randall raised an eyebrow. "You think I would help you? I may be elimination fodder right now, and I'm totally helping villains, but I'm kind of in the minority. Why would I help my opposition win?"

"Because I already see a way across and I'm wondering if you see it too so we don't have to be sneaky in getting over to the other side," Nora muttered. Randall eyed her for a moment.

"We say it at the same time on three," he said. Nora rolled her eyes but nodded. "One… two… three."

"There's a small ledge on the far side, big enough for us to shimmy across," they said at exactly the same time. Nora nodded in approval.

"Good. Let us…" she started to say. However, Randall had slipped past her and had already started to shimmy his way across. " #$%," Nora muttered and went after him.

 **Confessional: Shimmy!**

 **Nora: Randall knows his way around observation. However, I do believe I am better. Redrick had trained me so much that I can't miss anything. Randall probably doesn't have a skill set to match.**

 **Randall: So I doubt I can surpass Nora's observation skills. However, I do know that I can trick people into voting how I want them too. Have to have more fodder for villains somewhere, and Nora is perfect fodder.**

At the top of the pit, Angelina was balancing on her head for no reason. She was giggling to herself as she teetered back and forth. She fell over after a few seconds and continued giggling. Boomer approached her as she was starting to get on her head.

"YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR HAVING A LOT OF FUN!" Boomer said.

"Oh yeah! I'm getting the blood rushing to my head!" Angelina giggled. "I also think I'm making myself really dizzy!"

"LUCKY! I'M TOO BIG TO BALANCE MYSELF UPSIDE DOWN!" Boomer said. "STILL, I BET I CAN FIND OTHER FUN THINGS TO DO WHILE I WAIT MY TURN!"

"Maybe you and I will be matched up! That way, we can have fun running down the slant together!" Angelina giggled.

Boomer gave her a grin. "THAT'D BE COOL! MAYBE IF WE BOTH MERGE, WE COULD HAVE AN ALLIANCE GOING OR SOMETHING!"

"Ooo! A secret alliance! Called the Stealthy Cupcakes!" Angelina said mysteriously. That made Boomer smiled even more and give her a thumbs up.

"COOL!"

 **Confessional: But this island is burning hot!**

 **Angelina: Making friends is definitely on the fun list. Boomer's super loud, and therefore makes me bounce happily with fun power! Hopefully Mr. Boss won't mind Boomer's allegiance when we unite as an unbreakable force!**

 **Boomer: I DIDN'T ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT GETTING AN ALLIANCE, BUT APPARENTLY, ALLIANCES ARE SUPER COOL! ANGELINA SEEMS LIKE A COOL GIRL TO BE WITH IN ONE OF THOSE ALLIANCE THINGS! HOPEFULLY MY FRIENDSHIP WITH GRACIE AND JEREMY WON'T BE EFFECTED BY THIS!**

Nora and Randall had both made it to the bottom of the pit. Their eyes both stung as they made their way around the smoke in the pit. Topher was joking. They entire bottom was made like it was a grill. Sitting neatly on a stick were several well-cooked steaks.

"I question how these aren't burned at this point," Randall said, grabbing a steak.

"Simple. It's a trick of the eyes," Nora said, grabbing another steak. "The smoke is effecting our eyesight. Therefore, we cannot see the true nature of the steak down here."

Randall blinked. "Now that you mention it, my eyes do burn a little bit," he admitted.

"You're playing your stupidity up for the camera, aren't you?" Nora sighed. "Sad thing is, I don't really even care very much." Nora quickly turned her heel and ran back up the ramp.

Randall stood still for a moment. "I think the audience adores me. I'm not going to be on this show forever," he shrugged and ran after her.

 **Confessional: Never ever forever!**

 **Nora: I have a lead against Randall. If my team hurries, we may win. Tristen and Angelina both have stamina and could easily beat whoever they face. The person who I fear will slow us down… is Bernard. I pray he is not going to blow this for us.**

 **Randall: I have a feeling Nora doesn't like me very much. Good! If I so happen to make the merge, more votes for me! I'm a genius!**

Most of the contestants were already quite bored with the challenges. Sherry was playing rock, paper, scissors by herself, Kellie was pounding her face into the ground, and Topher took to looking at himself in a mirror.

"You know Chris did that all six seasons he hosted and people hate him, right?" Amy scoffed.

"More people hate you, since your entire time on the island was a fluke," Topher shrugged.

" _Excuse_ me?" Amy said in shock. "I _made_ that season!"

Topher didn't even both to respond and sighed in relief as he saw the two contestants coming back up. "I see a contestant arriving fast," Topher announced. Everyone (minus Gracie) stood up and waited anxiously to be called on. They seriously didn't want to be bored for the rest of the challenge.

"Who's next? I don't like sitting still!" Bernard whined.

"Because you have problems being bored?" Jeremy smirked.

Bernard glared at Jeremy, but took a long time to answer. "…no."

"Well, the next two up happen to be… Angelina and Boomer!" Topher announced, The two positive people cheered while the rest groaned and went back to being bored. Nora approached first, and dropped the steak.

"Get moving. Randall isn't far behind," Nora muttered.

"One sec. I want to run with Boomer!" Angelina said happily. This made Nora face palm and Tristen to shake nervously. Randall didn't take much longer and dropped the steak next to Nora's. Angelina and Boomer quickly took off together.

"Huh. The steaks really are burnt to a crisp," Randall noted.

 **Confessional: Booooooooredom!**

 **Tristen: I hope Angelina doesn't accidently make herself a target. She a pretty cool girl and I want her to get far in the game. Maybe no one really noticed her waiting for Boomer. Maybe.**

 **Bruce: Hmm… it seems to me Angelina might cause some issues with Nora. I should probably nip that before it gets too serious. After all, it doesn't seem like much right now, so kill it before it spreads.**

 **Jeremy: This challenge… is pretty boring when I'm the one sitting around doing nothing.**

As they made their way down the pit, they both figured it wasn't a race until the last two made it down. So, Angelina was currently riding on Boomer's shoulders with a smile on her face. "Wheeee!" she said and Boomer ran as quickly as he could.

"YOU DOING OK UP THERE?" Boomer asked.

"Ok? I'm doing awesome!" Angelina cheered. "Who knew I'd be charging down to eat a snake on someone's shoulders?"

"I PROBABLY DID! I WAS GOING TO OFFER ANYONE WHO I WAS UP AGAINST!" Boomer admitted.

"Well, what matters is, it's me! Whee!" Angelina cheered.

 **Confessional: I'd offer you to come to a party, but there isn't one I can go to.**

 **Boomer: ANGELINA IS PRETTY FULL OF ENERGY! AND SHE CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK LOUD ENOUGH FOR ME TO HEAR MOST OF THE TIME!**

 **Angelina: You ever wonder why airplanes can't go into space? I think it's because of the monkeys. I don't know why monkeys wouldn't want airplanes to go into space, but I am so totally onto them! YOU CAN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM ME MONKEYS!**

Tristen was doing pushups on the ground. He was aware that he needed to keep his strength up for the challenges, but he figured he should probably get warmed up. He didn't know how far down it was, and the better off he was, the better the run would be.

"Idiot. You know that we'll be _running_ right? Why waste your strength?" Tara muttered as she walked past.

"I like getting the blood and adrenaline pumping," Tristen said. "I know my limit though."

Tara rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you are totally going to lose this challenge," Tara muttered.

Tristen blinked for a moment. "Why do you care? We're on opposite teams," he pointed out. Silence was in the air for a moment as Tara realized Tristen was right.

"Well… I still hate you. Shut up," she hissed and walked away.

Tristen sighed as he continued with his work out. "I pity the other team for having to deal with her all of the pre-merge," he grunted.

 **Confessional: She's not even the craziest one.**

 **Tara: I** _ **totally**_ **knew he was on the other team. I was just trying to get under his skin. I don't** _ **want**_ **to be here, but if I'm** _ **forced**_ **to compete, might as well do major damage to the competition, right?**

 **Tristen: If that was the Valiant Volcanos way of phasing the other team… I can officially say that they failed.**

Angelina and Boomer had continued to rush forward until the came across the hole in the path. Angelina promptly jumped off his shoulders and stared through the smoke. "Well… I got nothing!" she said with a smile.

"HOW IS THAT A HAPPY THING?" Boomer asked.

"Oh, back at home, I always have to be happy, even when things are down," Angelina said, her smile twitching. "Uh… have any ideas? Maybe we could summon aliens to beam us to the other side?"

Boomer assessed the situation for a moment. "I DON'T THINK THE GAP IS ACTUALLY THAT BIG," he said aloud. "I COULD THROW YOU ACROSS! ALL YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IS FIND A WAY BACK!"

Angelina's smile grew huge. "YAY! That sounds like a perfect plan!" she said. "Except… how will you get across?"

Boomer looked stumped. "I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT," he said. "I GUESS WE'LL JUST THROW YOU ACROSS AND I'LL FIND A WAY AFTER YOU GO AND GET YOUR STEAK!"

Angelina saluted. Boomer picked her up and threw her across the gap. She yelled in excitement all the way across until she landed. "That was awesome!" she cheered on the other side. "I'll see if I can find a tree down here to give you a space to walk across!" Angelina continued her way down while Boomer tried to look for a way to get across.

 **Confessional: Always look up!**

 **Angelina: So… do you think this steak tastes good? It looks really black and charred… my favorite! I love black steak!**

 **Boomer: HOLD ON! HOW DOES ANGELINA EXPECT TO FIND A TREE DOWN HERE?! THIS ENTIRE PIT IS MEANT TO BURN THINGS TO A CRISP OVER A LONG PERIOD! I WONDER HOW SHE'LL DO IT…**

Roxanne was sitting alone, since no one else really dared brave her. She was currently tying a knot around her hand in a really tight fashion. She was smiling as she pulled tighter and tighter. "Too bad I'm not doing it to anyone's head," she lamented. "But this is fun too!"

Sherry walked by and saw what Roxanne was doing. "Trees don't ask why the goldfish scream for cotton candy," she said.

"Neither do monkeys, but the sounds of their eyes popping out of their skulls is refreshing," Roxanne giggled.

Sherry seem a little disturbed by this. "Popcorn doesn't taste like flamingo puke," she said.

Roxanne laughed. "Why not force the popcorn down the flamingo's throat and block the puke form coming out? That would be _so_ adorable!" she said.

Sherry paled. "Talking gopher berries," she muttered and walked as far away as she could from Roxanne.

Roxanne looked after her and giggled. "She must want to be slowly torn apart by gophers," she said. "That can be arranged!"

 **Confessional: So long as I don't burn, I'm good.**

 **Roxanne: The other team is just as fun as my own team! Maybe they want to play with me too? I need** _ **someone**_ **to die of flames. Maybe that guy with issues?**

 **Bernard:** (Shivers.) **I feel a disturbance.**

 **Sherry: Ok, maybe I shouldn't be impersonating being insane, because that girl was seriously** _ **demented**_ **.** (Thinks for a moment.) **Nah! I pull it off better than her!**

Boomer was continuing to look for a way down into the pit. He couldn't find one. He sighed and sat on the ground in defeat. "SO MUCH FOR WINNING THE CHALLENGE!" he sighed.

"WAH!" someone yelled above him. Boomer looked up in time to see Angelina land on top of him with an 'umph'. After straightening up, Angelina smiled. "Hiya Boomer! I found you a bridge!" she said. Boomer looked over at the gap to see a makeshift pole now covered the expanse.

Boomer grinned. "THANKS!" he boomed. He was about to leave when Angelina pulled his shirt.

"Where you going? I found an extra steak for you!" she said, offering him a steak. Boomer smiled and was about to take it before withdrawing his hand.

"I THINK THAT'S CHEATING!" he declared. "SORRY, THANKS FOR GRABBING IT, BUT I THINK I SHOULD GO GRAB MY OWN, JUST FOR IT TO BE FAIR!"

Angelina thought about it for a moment, shrugged, and tossed the steak over the edge. "Ok, I'll wait for you here!" she said. Boomer gave her an appreciative smile and ran across the gap to find a steak.

 **Confessional: Grab that steak!**

 **Boomer: ANGELINA IS A GREAT FRIEND, BUT I DON'T ENDORSE CHEATING! MAYBE IF WE MERGE, THEN SHE CAN HELP ME BETTER!**

 **Angelina: What is up with parking lots now a days? I mean, you drive there to park. That's what driveways are for. Why do we need an entire parking lot to park?**

Topher was standing by himself looking at the pit. He seriously needed to think of better challenges in the future, because this was seriously boring. He was about to go find Amy to argue when he felt someone kick him in the shin. He yelped in pain and turned to see Kellie standing there glaring at him.

"And I deserved that why?" Topher asked.

"You're making me bored. I DON'T LIKE BEING BORED!" Kellie screamed. Topher winced at the anger.

"Sorry, this challenge wasn't that well thought out," Topher admitted.

"Ya think, hot dog?" Kellie grunted.

Topher sighed. "I promise, Boomer and Angelina will come back any minute now," he said, turning to the pit. He sighed in relief when he saw them running back. "Here they come now!"

Bruce raised an eyebrow when he saw Angelina on Boomer's shoulders. "I wonder what the story is behind that," he said aloud.

"Alright, next up on the roster," Topher said, "is Bruce and Kellie!" Once Boomer had dropped his steak, Kellie bolted down the path. Bruce was about to go when he noticed Angelina's steak in her mouth.

"Angelina, I kind of need to go," Bruce said.

"Hmm? Oh, fine," she shrugged and dropped her steak. Bruce took off to make up for the lost time.

 **Confessional: Drop the meat!**

 **Bruce: It seems as though Angelina is causing issues. She's talking and making friends with the other team and stalling challenges. She might be an issue for future challenges.**

 **Topher: I'll be honest, I bumped Kellie up a few places. I just didn't want my shins bruised. Seriously, that girl has some anger management problems.**

Bruce was very calmly making his way down the path as fast as he could. However, he was growing slightly frustrated when rocks came flying at him. He noticed Keelie was angrily flinging them at him, trying to slow him down.

"You do realize your just making yourself a giant target for causing conflict, right?" Bruce asked.

"I DON'T #$% CARE!" Kellie screamed, running faster. "I'M NOT GOING TO LOSE!"

"I think you lost the ability to be calm and gentle," Bruce muttered.

"ARE YOU CALLING ME ANGRY AND RASH?" Kellie roared. She stopped, picked up a boulder, and chucked it as hard as she could at Bruce. Bruce only barely managed to dodge the rock and he glared at Kellie.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" he asked.

"If it helps, SO BE IT!" she yelled and continued running. Bruce rubbed his eyes and followed after the anger happy girl.

 **Confessional: Oxymorons are fun!**

 **Kellie: I'm not necessarily on a good spot on my team. WHICH I SHOULDN'T BE! I'M THE HAPPIEST GIRL I KNOW, LITTLE #$%! Thus, winning this challenge has to be my priority. OR ELSE THEY ALL DIE!**

 **Bruce: If Kellie were on my team, I'd have to say, she'd be gone in a heartbeat. I'd hate to think of all the conflict she's causing on the other team. I doubt it's going to end well, that's for sure.**

Roxanne was drawing a picture in the gravel. It appeared to be of Tara, with several knifes in several non-lethal places. Roxanne giggled as she drew more and more. "So much fun," she giggled.

"Hey girl," Bernard smirked, walking up to her. "Your pretty hot."

"And you look like you'd look good with scissors in the throat!" Roxanne said happily.

"Yeah, yeah," Bernard said, waving the comment aside. "Wanna bang? I don't really want your consent, because I'll do it anyway, but might as well say I _asked_."

Roxanne's evil smile never left. "Sure! Eye balls being ripped out might be a fun experiment during sex," she said creepily. It was then Bernard realized this girl was mentally insane.

"Er… wait! I have… someone else I need to talk to! About stealing their wallets! I'll, uh… get back to you on that!" Bernard said and quickly ran for it. Roxanne shrugged and went back to her picture.

 **Confessional: The one chick Bernard actually** _ **convinces**_ **to submit to his will…**

 **Bernard: Yeah, taking a break from chicks. Maybe I can see if I can set Topher's trailer on fire? That'd be pretty neat.**

 **Topher: Bernard has problems. He may not admit it, but he does.**

Kellie and Bruce were now neck and neck as they passed over Angelina's make shift bridge. Kellie was throwing punches at Bruce every free moment she had, but Bruce managed to miss most of them.

 _BAM!_

I said most, didn't I?

"Why are you being so violent?" Bruce muttered, dodging another punch. "I didn't even _do_ anything to you! I'm trying to avoid causing conflict!"

"You're trying to beat me in the challenge. HOW IS THAT NOT CONFLICT?!" Kellie roared, throwing another punch at him. This one got him in the jaw. Bruce managed to rub it and maintain his speed.

"But it's what we're _supposed_ to do! I don't really have a _choice_ in all of this!" he claimed.

"Well then SUCK IT UP, YOU #$%!" Kellie roared and ran faster. Bruce pushed himself to maintain her speed, grumbling the entire way.

 **Confessional: Bruce has a need for speed!**

 **Bruce: I'm half tempted to go to the other team and ask them to vote off Kellie. Thing is, that'd probably cause more conflict then peace. I need to find a way to get rid of her without being involved. I don't want to be a target.**

 **Kellie: The dude's a #$% strategist. I HATE STRATEGY!**

Gracie was smiling in the dream she was having as Jeremy watched over her. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her, especially with Bernard on the prowl. However, he went on edge as he saw Tara approach them.

"What do you want? She's staying asleep because you kept her up all night, so don't you dare wake her up," Jeremy warned.

"Fine. That should be me though," Tara muttered. Louder, she said, "Look… I was thinking and… _maybe_ it'd be a good idea to… have someone vote with me."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "So _now_ you admit you need help?" Jeremy asked.

"I DON'T NEED HELP!" Tara shouted. Then, quieter, "I just don't want to be hurt by Roxanne again…"

Jeremy looked at her and put on a look of pity. "Ok," he said. "I guess if you're being hurt, I feel inclined to help. We'll help you vote off Roxanne. Just don't being annoying and keep Gracie awake. Ok?"

Tara rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Don't talk to me again. I hate being seen in public with people lesser than I am." Tara walked away and Jeremy gave a tired sigh.

 **Confessional: Are wooden boxes lesser then you are?**

 **Jeremy: I don't even really** _ **want**_ **to vote for Roxanne because Tara is as annoying as #$%.** _ **But**_ **, I hate seeing girls in pain and fear, so I'll talk to Gracie and Boomer about it. They might offer a middle road.**

 **Tara: Please, I could do it without Jeremy's help. I just… don't have votes, that's all.**

Bruce and Kellie had made it to the bottom of the pit. Bruce ran over to where the steaks were and was about to grab one when Kellie smacked his hand. "Ladies first #$%." She said, snagging a steak from the stick.

Bruce rubbed his hand with a scowl. "Typically, I let others go first," he said. "But as you've not been very nice, I forgot to do so."

Kellie stopped turning around and looked at Bruce fiercely. "You… forgot… about… me?" she said, her voice rising. Bruce made a mental note never to say anything negative about Kellie ever again. He grabbed a steak and started running up the ramp. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Kellie roared.

Bruce sighed as he saw a boulder fly past him. "Today just isn't one of my good days," he said and continued running from the crazy boulder throwing psycho.

 **Confessional: Run Forest run!**

 **Kellie:** (Eye is twitching.) **I'm not very forgettable. Hard to forget someone who can become angry enough to tear you in half! YOU GET ME?! DON'T FORGET THAT I EXIST!**

 **Bruce: I regret nothing… and yet so much…**

Topher sighed as he paced back and forth. He really did hate all of this waiting. Maybe he could find something better to do than just standing around for the next challenge. He was about to go contemplate life when Sammy approached him.

"Not a very… active challenge, is it?" she asked.

"No, not really," Topher agreed with a sigh. "Maybe Chris will find another location that can get all the contestants engaging at once?"

"Maybe. Depends on what he does in his spare time during challenges," Sammy shrugged. She turned a light shade of red when she said, "Oh… I wanted to thank you for inviting me to work with you."

Topher flashed her a grin. "Of course. You were kind of robbed on Pahkitew. I'm sorry I treated you badly. It's just I was so self-centered on what Chris would have done, and that was belittle you. But I know that making you feel small isn't right."

Sammy gave him an appreciative smile. "Thanks," she said.

Before their convo could continue, Topher spotted the contestants on their way back. "Alright, next up to skip this long segment of waiting is… Jeremy and Sherry!"

"Peanut whales!" Sherry cheered.

Jeremy looked over at Boomer. "Make sure Gracie isn't disturbed while I'm gone," he said.

Boomer gave his friend a salute. "I'M ON IT!" he said loudly, surprisingly not waking Gracie up.

Kellie reached Topher first and threw down her steak. Jeremy took off running just as Bruce came up and set his down. Sherry did a handstand, and started chasing after Jeremy on her hands.

 **Confessional: Alejandro reference!**

 **Boomer: I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON GRACIE! THAT DOESN'T SOUND HARD AT ALL!**

 **Tara: I kind of just want to get my part over already. I hate just sitting around, knowing I'm going to be doing** _ **something**_ **with my life in the future. Might as well just get it done** _ **now**_ **.**

 **Sherry: I figured that if I could logically beat Jeremy on my feet… I could** _ **illogically**_ **beat him on my hands. Yeah, I totally have this in the bag.**

Jeremy had a fair lead and was making good progress running down the ramp. He figured that his team had the challenge in the bag. However, surprisingly enough, Sherry caught up to him while running on her hands. Jeremy blinked as she passed him with ease.

"How are you going faster than me? You're running in a disadvantage!" Jeremy yelled.

"Cucumbers are not as perverted as cherries!" she yelled back.

Jeremy blinked as he continued running. "I think both are equally perverted!" he called back to her, trying his hardest to increase his speed.

"Ponies don't like rainbows!" Sherry giggled, somehow going faster whenever Jeremy increased his pace. Jeremy was soon panting in exhaustion.

"How… are… you… going… so… fast?" he panted and stopped to take a break. Sherry shrugged and continued running on her hands.

"Crybabies don't laugh at naked mole rats," she said simply.

 **Confessional: Why are naked mole rats judged for their name?**

 **Jeremy: Ok, so I know one thing. When the teams merge, Sherry will need to disappear pretty quickly. Why do I say this? She, out of nowhere, can do things that don't make sense and** _ **beat**_ **us. If that hurts us as a team, then it will most certainly hurt everyone in the merge. How do we win against something that we can't even begin to understand? It makes no logical sense!**

Tristen was still doing pushups and waiting for his turn to run. He seemed to still have a lot of energy and didn't seem like he was going to slow down. It took him a moment to notice that Bernard had approached him. He gave the guy with problems a nod. "How you doing?" he asked.

"Terrible," he muttered. "For some reason, everyone here thinks I have some sort of issues. But I don't! I don't have any problems what so ever! But nope, no one listens to the clearly innocent one, so therefore, I'm a target."

Tristen raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you want to grope someone on day one?" he asked. "I'd say that would make people think you had issues."

Bernard gave Tristen a deadly glare. "I. Don't. Have. Issues," he seethed.

Tristen shrugged as he continued his pushups. "Whatever floats your boat," he said.

"What would float my boat is if you helped a bro out," Bernard said. "Come on, I'm on the outs of this team! You're a smart and strong guy. I'm sure you could pull some strings and help me get far on this show."

Tristen pondered this a moment. "Promise you won't go anywhere near Angelina and you got yourself a deal," he said.

"But she's one of the only hot ones!" Bernard whined. However, he quite quickly noticed the glare Tristen was giving him and sighed. "Fine, I won't go near her," he muttered.

"I'll convince my alliance not to vote for you first," Tristen said with a nod. Bernard grunted his thanks and walked off to probably be a pervert elsewhere.

 **Confessional: Curve the perv!**

 **Tristen: I think this makes the only one I'm not aligned with directly is Nora. I guess I'm not aligned with Sherry, but since she and Bruce are aligned, I don't really count her. I guess I'll just have to go with my gut on who should go. Maybe Angelina was some ideas.**

 **Bernard: Ha! I totally tricked Tristen! I see him as a threat. Sure, I have security because of him, but I want him gone! Maybe I can ask the only other hot girl on my team if she'd be willing to rid herself of a threating force?**

Sherry continued onward on her hands as fast as she possibly could. She felt as though she was making excellent time and continued to run at top speed. She was smirking. "I totally have this challenge in the bag," she said. Then, for some reason, she stopped. "But… do I _want_ to win? Logic would say yes… but illogic would say…"

"Bye!" came a voice running past her. Sherry was shaken from her thoughts as Jeremy raced past her. Forgetting about logic and illogic, she continued to run after him.

"How did he #$% pass me?" she asked aloud.

"If you're wondering how I passed you," Jeremy said conveniently, "I simply just rested and then ran at my fullest. Thanks for stopping! That really gave me a good lead!"

"Pickled peanuts!" Sherry roared and tried to catch up to Jeremy. However, he was simply going too fast and they maintained running at the same distance apart. Sherry made a mental note to stop being logical outside the confessional.

 **Confessional: Only logic exists here.**

 **Sherry: This is what I get for trying to plan things out logically. I get completely screwed over. Thanks a lot life! I can't possibly win now thanks to the stupid fact that logic exists!**

 **Jeremy: I wonder why Sherry was making sense when I passed her. I thought she could only speak in weird illogic talk. I guess it just goes to show that the phrase don't judge a person by how they talk really does mean something.**

Gracie gave a huge yawn as she woke up. She had had a nice nap and smiled. She felt as though she was ready for whatever else happened throughout the day. She smiled when she saw Bruce approach. "Hi! How are you doing today?" she asked him.

"Quite swell, thanks for asking," he said with a kind smile. "How are things on your team? I noticed that you decided to sit out for today's challenge."

"Yeah, well… Tara kept me up all night because she kept thinking someone was in our room," Gracie said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I want to be friends with Tara… but she kind of kept me up all night. I don't want to be useless in challenges every day, but I want to be her friend."

Bruce thought this over for a moment. "Well, if you lose the challenge, you could always vote her off," he suggested.

Gracie shook her head. "That would defeat the purpose of being her friend," Gracie said. "I want to be able to talk this out and not solve things by letting the votes speak. I want to show her that I care, not that I want to get rid of my problems."

"Sometimes the only way to fix your problems is to show that you do not care for them," Bruce said firmly. "I should know better than anyone. If you truly want to fix things with Tara, I recommend showing her no mercy."

Gracie frowned. "I thought you didn't get involved with conflict and wanted to solve issues peacefully," she said.

"To me, eliminating the problem is peaceful," Bruce said. "I'll leae you to finish relaxing." He promptly walked away, leaving Gracie slightly conflicted.

 **Confessional: How about slapping the problem?**

 **Gracie: I thought Bruce was going to be the neutral guy who ended conflicts on a happy note. I don't think voting out my problems will fix them. On the contrary, I think they'll just blow up into something worse when I'm eliminated. Still… Tara doesn't seem to really** _ **want**_ **to be my friend… and she hardly offers anything to the team…**

 **Bruce: The way I see it, Tara is causing conflict on the other team. I was just trying to help Gracie realize that the true problems have to be stomped on before they get worse. She'll see it my way.**

Jeremy was the first on to the bottom of the pit. He was sweating up a storm do to the heat. He wiped his brow and looked for where the steaks were. He spotted them soon after and walked up to them.

To find Sherry was already there, licking one of them.

"What the?" he asked, looking behind him. "How did you get ahead of me?"

"The green light flashed thrice," she said simply. She quickly stood up and bolted back up toward the ramp. Jeremy sighed at the illogical answer, grabbed his own steak, and ran after her.

 **Confessional: What about the purple light?**

 **Jeremy: I worry about the crap she pulls with her team. How do they even put up with her? I can't think straight when she's around, I honestly can't.**

Sammy was sitting alone, simply waiting. She was required to wait until the end of the challenge, but she was seriously super bored. She was twiddling her thumbs, sneaking brief glances in Topher's direction every so often.

"What are we looking at?" came a voice right next to her ear. Sammy shrieked in surprise and looked to see Angelina next to her with a smile. "Are we looking at that rock? It's a pretty cool rock if you ask me."

Sammy offered Angelina a smile. "Um… no. Not really," she said.

"Oh, ok. I guess I can't judge. We can't _all_ love rocks," she said, bouncing up and down. "So how do you like hosting? Is it any fun? I love fun!"

"Um… I don't really do much. Topher is really the one who does all the work…"

"You host eliminations. That's probably pretty fun!"

"No… kind of depressing…"

Angelina stopped bouncing and started to think. "What's fun about your job then?" she asked herself. She started thinking really hard before something clicked. "I know! You get to be with your best friend!"

Sammy blushed. "H-h-h-how did you…"

"JK! I don't think you and Amy are really besties right now," Angelina said. Sammy deflated but shrugged. She didn't really expect Angelina to understand anyway.

"Attention contestants!" Topher announced. "I see Sherry and Jeremy coming in fast! Sherry has a tight lead! Next up… Tara and Bernard!"

"Really? I hate running!" Bernard whined.

"You're telling me," Tara muttered.

Sherry reached Topher first and dropped her steak. Bernard lazily started making his way down the ramp. Because he was going so slow, Jeremy managed to reach the top and send off Tara, who caught up to Bernard quickly.

 **Confessional: We're waiting!**

 **Tristen: So, save the best for last, huh? I'm cool with that. Give me more time to pump myself up. Hopefully I can make or break this for my team!**

 **Tara: Do I** _ **have**_ **to run? I'm just going to walk, because running will make me all sweaty and gross. This island does it naturally anyway, but I don't want to make it worse.**

 **Angelina: I wonder of Sammy has fun at home. I'm sure having a grumpy sister doesn't help much. Maybe I can give her some fun after the challenge? Maybe I can give her cake!**

Bernard and Tara were making their way down toward where the steak lied. However, both contestants were going death defyingly slow. It seemed as if though neither one really had the motivation to go faster than they already were going.

"This was _totally_ not in the contract my agent made me sign," Tara mumbled. "Why do I even _need_ to be here? So #$% annoying…"

"Maybe just for me to look at?" Bernard asked hungrily, staring at Tara ass. He licked his lips and continued to stare. "Because if that's your job, I'll pay you everything I have!"

Tara looked at the guy with issues and shuddered. "Not even if you paid me the million dollar cash prize from this show," she said. "Your totally not even close to being hot enough for me to let you _look_ at my beauty, let alone do anything more."

Bernard put on a creepy smile. "Who said anything about me having consent?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows. Tara's jaw dropped and she suddenly found a reason to run faster. She bolted down ahead, not wanting to be anywhere near Bernard. Bernard simply shrugged. "Eh, I'll get her later," he said.

 **Confessional: Says the couch potato.**

 **Tara:** (Shudders.) **Why am I on a show with a bunch of crazy whack jobs? I have Roxanne on my team who wants to brutally murder everyone. More specifically me. Then there's that… guy with extreme issues who basically threatened rape!** _ **WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!**_

With Gracie awake and Bernard elsewhere, Jeremy was left to his own devices. He simply decided to pace around and talk to himself about his game. "So far, Boomer and Gracie are solid allies," he said. "I'd _like_ to have at least one more. I could side with Tara… but who's to say she'll pull out and flip on us?"

"I totally would," he heard a voice say. Jeremy turned to see Randall, who was looking sketchily around. "I mean… I totally wouldn't ever betray you."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "I don't think we've talked much," he said. "I'm Jeremy, your fellow teammate."

"Randall," he said. "You're future kill- I mean, your future friend."

Jeremy offered him a half smile. "Don't supposed you have an idea of who to vote for if we lose, do you?"

A smirk crossed Randall's face. "I was _thinking_ about voting off Tara," he said. "Let's face it: she doesn't offer anything solid to the team. Buuuuuuuut if you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

"Well, I was thinking Roxanne to try and get Tara on our side," Jeremy suggested.

Randall forced himself not to scowl at that. "Interesting… nice chatting with you Jeremy. I have to go… make some plans." Randall walked off mumbling to himself while Jeremy looked confused.

 **Confessional: Better than being dazed.**

 **Randall: Screw this noise. Roxanne's the only noteworthy villain on this team! Tara's obviously a better threat. I'll have to convince Roxanne, subtly of course, that Tara's the way way to go and she's a target.**

 **Jeremy: I'm not all too sure about Randall. He** _ **seems**_ **nice enough, but it's like he's putting on an act for something. I wonder what he's up to…**

"Let me touch your boooooooooooooooooobs!"

Tara groaned in frustration as she continued to run away from Bernard's perverted groans. She knew there was know way he was going to catch up to her, but she wasn't going to give him any chances. "Not in your life, you #$% perv!" she screamed.

The echoes made their way back up to Bernard. "But they're so big! A handful of pure joy!" he said with a perverted giggle. "Come on, just a feel?"

"No! You obviously have major issues!"

Bernard's left eye twitched. "I dare you to say that again," he yelled down.

"I said you have problems, you perverted #$%!"

Bernard waited a second. Before exploding in rage. "I DON'T HAVE #$% ISSUES! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE AND I'M GOING TO PISS ALL OVER YOUR GRAVE FOR EVEN _MENTIONING_ I HAVE PROBLEMS, YOU #$%!"

Tara, from all the way down where she was, heard the sounds of hard running coming toward her. She paled and ran faster. She then made a mental note of what made Bernard angry and what got him to move.

 **Confessional: Just not her day, is it?**

 **Tara: Why? Why me?**

 **Bernard: I can tolerate a bunch of insults, but I** _ **don't**_ **have any problems. Is it a problem I like taking wallets? Nope. Is it wrong that I have a porn stache? Nope. Is it wrong to force girls to do the sex against there will? Nope. See? No problems, no issues, perfectly socially acceptable.**

Kellie was simply minding her own business. She found if she avoided people, her anger levels dropped to a low point. "I don't _like_ getting angry… it just runs in the family," she muttered. She continued to pace until she tripped over a rock and fell on the ground. "… #$% THIS!"

"Ooo, naughty word!" Roxanne giggled, passing by. "Maybe the blood can be used to drown you? That would be fun to see!"

Kellie glared up at her angrily. " #$% off," she muttered.

"Nope! Because I want to use your ribs to tear a hol in your heart. Such fun, don't you think?" Roxanne said, walking over to her leg. She grabbed it, and started to bend it, and applied pressure to the uncomfortable position. Kellie gasped in pain and realized Roxanne was trying to snap her leg off.

With a roar, Kellie kicked Roxanne in the face. The girl fell over to the side and Kellie scrambled to her feet. When she was standing, she saw Roxanne was simple grinning, a bruise on her cheek. "That was fun! Do it again, only this time, do it in my eye socket!"

Kellie blinked in anger and fear. "Da #$%?" she growled. "LEAVE ME ALONE #$% FREAK!" She then quickly walked away so she could get as far away from Roxanne as possible. Roxanne shrugged, grabbed a rock, and threw it at her eye.

 **Confessional: Don't repeat things on TV kids!**

 **Kellie: WHAT THE #$% IS WRONG WITH THAT GIRL?! SHE'S GOING TO CRASH HARD SO I CAN BE SATISFIED WITH THE SNAPPING OF HER SPINE!** (Pauses.) **#$%, that's no better than the things she says, is it?**

 **Roxanne:** (Frowning.) **The rock wouldn't stay in. On top of that, Topher came by and said I couldn't shove rocks in my eyes because he could get sued for injury. Maybe I should cut out his tongue and surgically open his stomach and stuff it inside! That'd show him how much fun ticking me off can be!**

Tara grabbed her steak once she reached the bottom, but quickly hid behind a rock. She knew Bernard was going to show up, and she thought it's be better if he left before she tried to make her way up the ramp. She held her breath when she heard Bernard approach.

"Where is she?" he snarled. He looked around the area to see no one. He huffed and looked down with a smirk. "Ah, a steak," he said and grabbed one of the remaining two. He scowled. "Hang on… there's only one steak left, but two teams. How does that work?" He thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Eh, what do I care?"

Tara peeked from behind her rock to see Bernard was leaving. She sighed in relief. This game was rough. She waited for about five minutes to make sure he was gone before coming out of hiding and running up after him.

 **Confessional: Math, not a man's best friend.**

 **Tara: I don't care about the fact the number of steaks doesn't make any sense! What do I care about? Not being hunted down by Bernard! He's terrifying…**

 **Bernard: Well, Tara was nowhere to be seen. Not my problem. If she died, good for her. I just want to get my steak up top and do zilch for the rest of the day.**

The contestants were talking amongst themselves, simply dealing with the boredom. Topher noticed this and sighed. Something had to be done about this. No one was going to watch this show if the contestants just walked and moped around. An idea flew into his mind and Topher smirked. He pulled out a remote and clicked the button.

 **Ding!**

"WHAT WAS THAT?! WHO'S RINGING BEELS?!" Boomer asked in confusion.

"That is the twist for these next few seasons," Topher said. "Every episode, I'll assign someone to sing a song for us. Since we're all dead bored, I figured why not have it now."

"No one sang yesterday," Jeremy pointed out. "I would remember that."

Topher visibly shuddered. "Oh… Roxanne sung yesterday," Topher shivered. "Worse mistake of my life."

Everyone looked at Roxanne who shrugged. "All I sang about was watching all of you guys die painfully and burn you up!" she said cheerfully.

Topher looked sick, but continued. "Anyway, so seeing as though Jeremy wanted a quartet… we looked around and found him some singers. So, today, Jeremy will sing first tenor, Tristen will sing second tenor, Bruce will sing baritone, and Boomer will take the bass."

"COOL! I'M GOING TO SING WITH A GROUP!" Boomer yelled excitedly.

"Also, two males from each team," Bruce said with a nod. "No room for conflict in there."

"Let's do this!" Tristen said.

 **Song 2: Sitting Around (Sounds like a typical barbershop song, with the other three singing the beat (dododo) while the main part is sung by the one indicated.)**

 **Jeremy: Hum!**

 **Tristen: Hum!**

 **Bruce: Hum!**

 **Boomer: HUM!**

 **All: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!**

 **Tristen: We've been sitting around, wanting to work.**

 **Jeremy: Hating all the waiting and calling Topher a jerk.**

 **Tristen: We can't handle all this boring torture!**

 **Bruce: So excuse us for the rushed departure.**

 **Jeremy: Topher, you suck, give us something to do!**

 **Boomer: EVEN IF IT'S ONLY TO LET US POO!**

All: Ew!

 **All: This torture, it hurts**

 **It robs us of being alert**

 **We can't simply take this**

 **Aaaaaaanymoooooooooooooooore!**

 **Boomer: TOPHER, YOUR BAD!**

 **Jeremy: This boredom makes us so sad.**

 **Bruce: The conflict is growing.**

 **Tristen: My adrenaline is slowing.**

 **Boomer: AND THE GRASS NEEDS A MOWING!**

Other Three: Whuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh?

Jeremy: Boomer, this island doesn't have any grass.

Boomer: OH YEAH!

 **All: This torture, it hurts.**

 **It's reminds of the death curse**

 **We can't handle this boredom**

 **Aaaaaaaaaaanymooooooooooooore!**

 **This waiting, it burns**

 **Like this island's twist and turns**

 **All this sitting around**

 **Makes us want to go in the ground!**

 **Kill us now! We can't wait!**

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanymoooooooooore!**

 **Boomer: AAAAAAAAAAAAAANYMOOOOOOOOORE!**

Several of the other contestants clapped at the song. The four members of the quartet took a bow and smiled at their audience. However, one of the contestants looked intrigued.

"If its death you want, I can have that easily arranged," Roxanne said with a smile.

"That'll have to wait, because here comes Bernard!" Topher said. Indeed, Bernard had made it to the top of the ramp and dropped his steak at Topher's feet. Tristen quickly started to run. Tara showed up not too much later and Roxanne chased after him.

"At least I don't have to deal with her for a few minutes," Tara muttered.

 **Confessional: This fire hurts my wood!**

 **Jeremy: I must admit, that was quite fun. Maybe Topher will let us do that every challenge from now on? That'd be a nice thing to do.**

 **Tristen: Singing was great, but my skills rest in extreme adrenaline. My team has this won, I guarantee it.**

 **Gracie: Was I the only one who heard what Roxanne said after the song?** (Shivers.)

Tristen had a nice lead over Roxanne and managed to maintain it. Roxanne wondered how he was able to go so fast since he was working out so hard before. "Hey Mr.! How are you still alive? Shouldn't you have passed out in fatigue? Not the best way to die, but at least it makes sense!"

"I've been working out for years, doing extremes all the time," Tristen called back. "I can endure intense workouts and still manage to run around smoothly. Just the way I am."

Roxanne frowned a little. "Ah, I wanted to see you die of exhaustion!" she said. However, her frown was replaced by an evil smile. "But on the bright side, I can still watch you die!"

"What was that? I think I miss heard you," Tristen said.

"Oh… you heard me right," Roxanne giggled.

 **Confessional: I don't think I did. I kind of don't have ears.**

 **Tristen: I heard 'On the sight tide, I can will watch you pie'. I guess Roxanne took a page out of Sherry's book, because that made absolutely zero sense.**

Bernard was laying on his back. Running sure took a lot out of him, and he hated it. He figured, since his part of the challenges was over, he might as well just relax while he could. He smiled as he felt some shade stand over him.

"Ah. Now that's nice. All this heat is getting to me," he muttered.

"Leaves don't have mouths."

"ARGH!" Bernard screamed. He scrambled to his feet and glared at the person behind him. It so happened to be Sherry, who waved. "What the #$% was that for? I was taking a nap in peaceful… shade." It took him a moment to realize Sherry was the shade.

"I like talking yaks," Sherry giggled.

"I don't give #$%," Bernard muttered. However, he noticed Sherry's big boobs and a little drool fell out of his mouth. He shook his head for a moment to snap out of his spell. "Oh, I was wondering if you'd be willing to vote with me next time we lose. I was thinking we could ditch Tristen, since he's kind of a jock"

Sherry thought for a moment. "Popcorn!" she finally yelled.

"Er… is that a yes or a no?"

"Jellyfish!"

"A yes?"

"Pop goes the weasel!"

"A no?"

"Magic Peter the Pepper picker in the middle of Massachutes!"

"Suddenly, I realize you're doing this to me on purpose."

"Cherry's eat roses on dates to New Zealand!"

 **Confessional: I didn't know cherries ate flowers.**

 **Bernard: She may be hot… but #$%, that girl is duuuuuuuuuuuuumb. I'd hate to do it, but I might have to vote her off. I don't think my intelligence goes with her annoyingness.**

 **Sherry: Bernard is kind of fun to mess with. Maybe I can 'illogically' persuade Bruce to keep him a little longer so I can torment him some more!**

Tristen had continued running down the track until he came to the now filled in gap. He paused and inspected it before giving off a chuckle. "Something tells me this was a hole before Angelina came along," he chuckled. "Dang, that girl seriously has some stamina."

"Did you know a lot of what you say is kind of perverted?" Roxanne asked, approaching him.

"Not intentionally. I keep having to tell her that too," he said, chuckling again.

"Ooo! Spekaing of telling people things, I have something I need to tell you!" Roxanne said in an exicted yet also serious voice.

Tristen raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked her.

Roxanne smirked, and walked closer to him. She stopped about arm's length of him. "Bye!" she said and shoved Tristen as hard as she could. Tristen wasn't expecting the push and stumbled backward…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Right off the Cliffside.

"Aw! That looked so much fun! I wanted to do that!" Roxanne whined. She sighed and turned around to continue walking when she saw something off to the side. "Oh? What's this?"

 **Confessional: A magical pony that can take you to magical lands!**

 **Roxanne: I kind of wanted to see Tristen's untimely demise, but oh well. At least I can see his remains. Maybe a sharp rock broke his fall!** (Squeals.) **I hope so!**

Nora was standing alone, observing those around her. She had mapped out the alliances and who was on what terms with who. She nodded to herself. "The map has been made. Now, to influence it to my benefit," she said quietly to herself.

"What's going on?" someone asked her. Nora barley glanced at the person, already knowing it was Bruce.

"Playing the game how I was taught to play it," Nora grumbled. "You want to know if I'm with or against you, correct?"

Bruce shrugged. "No point in asking if you already know," he said.

Nora said nothing for a moment. "You are unaware that you are kind of a hypocrite," she finally said. "You believe you aren't causing conflict by trying to secure yourself in a tight spot. However, this is bringing up people who will see you as a threat. Keep as you are, you will appear in the bottom two in exactly two eliminations from now."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You might think that, but all I want is an end to conflict. I'm simply making sure others keep me around so I can make sure no conflict rises. So I ask again. With me, or not?"

Nora remained silent. "Ask me again when you realize you are wrong," she said. "For now… I'm neither." Bruce figured he would get nothing else out of her so he simply shrugged and left her alone. Once she was alone, she said, "I wish I could just shut this thing off."

 **Confessional: I have a camera inside me I wish I could shut off.**

 **Bruce: Is it wrong I need to keep track of everyone? I need someone to eliminate, so if Nora's against me, she'd planning on causing trouble. Therefore, to stop conflict from arising, she has to go.**

 **Nora: Redrick told me to observe and destroy. Bruce will see, in time, that his actions are no better than what he did three years ago. He thinks he's doing good? All he's doing is setting himself up to be hurt again. He'll see.**

Tristen groaned in pain. He didn't expect Roxanne to push him, but lucky for him, the fall wasn't that far. He stood up carefully and looked around. He noticed the wall he fell from looked good for rock climbing, which would be helpful in getting back up to where he was.

He was about to do so when he noiced something on the ground. He picked it up to find it was a steak. "How did this get here?" he thought to himself. It didn't take him long to figure out the answer to his own question. "Angelina."

He stuffed the steak in his pocket and started climbing up. If he hurried, he might be able to beat Roxanne.

Speaking of the girl, she had reached the bottom of the ramp. She looked around the area and pouted. "Aw, no dead body!" she said. "Oh well. Ooo, look, a steak!" Indeed, the last steak was resting where the other steaks were beforehand. She grabbed it and frowned.

"Was the dead guy already here? I don't see the last steak," she said in confusion. Then she shrugged with a giggle. "Topher probably only left eleven. Sneaky Topher! Better win win for my team team!" With that, Roxanne rushed back the way she had come.

 **Confessional: Maybe Topher doesn't like maths either.**

 **Roxanne: Maybe no elimination because Tristen's dead? That's be sweet! Maybe I should kill everyone? Then I automatically win! That'd be so cool!**

 **Tristen: A small detour, but I think I can still win this. If not… I hope this doesn't make me a target at elimination.**

Topher was watching the horizon. He expected the two contestants any moment, and he knew it was going to be close. A smile appeared on his face as he saw one contestant rush up the ramp. "Attention contestants! Roxanne is in the lead!" Topher shouted.

The Valiant Volcanos cheered while the Lying Lava groaned. Tristen appeared in sight as Roxanne was getting closer and closer. Knowing there was no other way, he took a breath and chucked the steak at Topher. Roxanne reached Topher at the same time Tristen's steak landed at his feet.

"Alright, the challenge is over!" Topher said. "The winner of this challenge and the team safe from elimination is…

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The Lying Lava!" The Lying Lava cheered in surprise while most of the Valiant Volcanos groaned.

"That doesn't make sense! Roxanne got to us first. THIS IS RIGGED!" Kellie shouted.

"Ah, but Tristen's _steak_ landed before Roxanne's," Topher smirked. "Therefore, Valiant Volcanos, one of you is getting eliminated tonight. Oh, and pizza for all! Sammy will drop off a few boxes later tonight. Both teams cheered, the Valiant Volcanos quieter than the Lying Lava.

 **Confessional: Gravity matters.**

 **Angelina: Today was great! I made a friend, we won the challenge, and I got all the steak!** (Holds up the pile of burnt steak.) **Total score!**

 **Sherry: Illogic made us one. Do you guys know how freaking** _ **happy**_ **this makes me?!** (A giant grin enters her face, covering the entirety of it.)

 **Tara: I'm ok with losing so I can vote off Roxanne. No longer can she plague me. Just a few hours and then she'll be gone. I can last that long, right?**

 **Randall: Time for me to put a plan together. I need to talk to Roxanne, and then I need to try to convince some of the others to vote for Tara. I can totally do this.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos**

Randall was outside sitting by his pool of lava. He was contemplating the elimination when Roxanne walked up. "Hi!" she said. "You want me to shove you in the pool? I can totes do that!"

Randall chuckled. "Maybe some other time," he said. "Right now, we need to focus on the elimination. I'm thinking of voting off Tara. That's a good idea right now."

Roxanne shook her head furiously. "No! I want to kill her! Let me tear her apart, slowly! Let me relish the screams! I _need_ her to fulfill my death quota! All the juices running from her body… don't vote for her!"

Randall winced, then thought it over. "Ok… I guess we can vote Boomer. He's too peppy for me," Randall relented. "That ok?"

Roxanne thought for a moment before shrugging. "Ok. I just want to kill someone. Can I kill you? Pretty please?"

"Maybe after the elimination," Randall said. "Until then, I need to get some votes on my side. I'll see you later Roxanne."

Randall stood up and left. Roxanne shrugged and looked at the lava. An evil smile came onto her face. "I wonder how fast I'll burn," she said and walked toward the pool.

 **Confessional: Wouldn't take me very long…**

 **Roxanne:** (She's pouting.) **Topher came by and said I can't swim in the lava. He ruins all my fun. Maybe I should make him drink some lava? That will show him how much fun it could be!**

 **Randall: Yeah, no. Boomer isn't a threat right now. I want Tara gone since she's directly trying to get rid of Tara. I don't know if this'll work, but I pray Jeremy will listen to me. He's a gullible idiot. Maybe.**

Kellie was resting on her bed, contemplating her team's loss. She was pretty ticked about it, but seems to be calming herself down. She figured she could just solve everything through elimination. "Right… who ticked me off most today?" she muttered to herself.

"I don't care," someone muttered. Kellie turned to see Tara walk into through the entrance that was connect to her room. "So long as Roxanne is eliminate, I'm good."

Kellie raised an eyebrow. "Why Roxanne?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious? She's a mass murderer! She has to go _now_. She's even less tolerable than you are right now, and that's seriously saying something," Tara muttered.

Kellie looked at Tara suspiciously. "That's literally the nicest thing anyone has said to me," she said. "What's your angle?"

"Why would I have an angle with someone like you?" Tara blanched. "I don't care about you or what you do, so long as Roxanne goes home. I don't even know why I'm still talking to you. Bye."

Tara walked off and Roxanne watched her leave. "That conversation… was surprisingly anger free," she said to herself.

 **Confessional: I'm 100% cotton free! I'm wood!**

 **Kellie: I hate getting angry, despite how weird that sounds. Tara, despite being an annoying little #$%, managed to have a level conversation with me without ticking me off. Thus, I shall aid her in eliminating Roxanne.**

 **Tara: Do I want Kellie on my side? #$% no! She's a she-hulk who isn't green. After Roxanne and Gracie, she's totally the next one on my list.**

Boomer, Gracie, and Jeremy were all in the boys' room up at the highest point. Graice was sitting with Jeremy on his bed while Boomer was lying on his bed reading a comic book. "SUCKS WE LOST THE CHALLENGE TODAY!" Boomer said loudly.

"Well, we can't expect to win _every_ challenge," Gracie said. "Too bad I might be a target for not helping…"

"I seriously doubt you're a target," Jeremy assured her. "I've been hearing Tara and Roxanne's names around. Since Gracie wants to try and bond with Tara, Roxanne seems like the best option as of now."

"Well…" Gracie said nervously. "Bruce said it might be better to vote off Tara. She's causing issues for the team, and stomping conflict is better than making friends."

Jeremy frowned. "That's not how I see it," he said. "I quite liked your idealism that you wanted to give Tara a chance. Where did that go?"

Gracie shrugged. "I guess I shouldn't listen to what others tell me," she said. "I'm good with voting Roxanne."

Jeremy nodded right as an intercom went off. "Attention Valiant Volcanos," Topher announced. "Please meet over at the Volcano of Doom immediately to cast your votes."

 **Confessional: Why can't I be the Confessional of Doom?**

 **Gracie: I just don't know if my idealism will help me in the game. Bruce could be right… but so could Jeremy. Who do I listen to? Doesn't help that this vote is happening right now.**

 **Boomer: SO I KIND OF GOT LOST IN OUR STRATEGY MEETING! ARE WE VOTING FOR ROXANNE OR TARA?! I COULDN'T FOLLOW ALL THE NAMES BEING BROUGHT UP! I HAD TO READ LIPS MOST OF THE TIME SINCE THEY WEREN'T SPEAKING LOUD ENOUGH!**

 **Randall: #$%! I didn't get to the others in time! I'm just praying they see sense in voting off Tara tonight, otherwise getting a villain to the end will be a pointless effort!**

 **(Volcano of Doom)**

The seven members of the Valiant Volcanos had arrived at the base of the Volcano of Doom. Sammy was standing at her podium nervously. "So, um… welcome to your first elimination," she said. "Before we get to the votes, I have a few questions I'm, uh, supposed to ask. So, um… Roxanne. Has your day been ok?"

"Not really. I tried to kill Tristen, but he ended up living," Roxanne sighed. "Oh well, can't blame a girl for trying!"

Sammy winced, as did most of the other contestants. "Um… Jeremy, did you enjoy the singing part of today's challenge?"

"Very much so," he said with a smile. "Singing is my passion, my life. I was glad I was able to share it in this contest. Hopefully I'll be able to sing more as the competition wears on."

"Maybe," Sammy smiled. "Tara, um, who are you voting for?"

"Roxanne," Tara muttered. " #$% #$% tried to kill me."

"All in good fun!" Roxanne giggled.

"Erm… Kellie, are you happy right now?" Sammy asked.

Kellie glared at Sammy. "Do I look #$% happy?" she snarled. "HURRY IT UP, YOU #$%!"

Sammy yelped in surprise and nodded. "Um… ok! Boomer, you want to start the voting first?"

"DO I?!" he yelled with a grin and went to cats the first vote of the night.

Once Tara had cast the final vote, Sammy went off to tally the votes. When she returned, she had six slices of burnt bacon. "Ok, so, um… when I call your name, your safe," she said. "So, um… the first one safe is… Gracie."

"Jeremy."

"Randall."

"Kellie."

"Boomer."

Roxanne and Tara both sat without a slice of bacon. Tara was sweating bullets (probably the heat) while Roxanne was mining cutting her fingers off. "So, one of you is safe," Sammy said. "And that one person is, uh…

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Tara," Sammy said. Tara sighed in relief, but it was short lived. Roxanne noticed her name wasn't called and grinned.

"Cool! That means Tara gets to be burned at the steak, right?" Roxanne asked.

"Um… no?" Sammy said. "Why did you, um, think that?"

"Because I have this thingy!" she said happily, reaching into her pocket…

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And pulled out one of the Fire Idols.

"No #$% way!" Tara screamed in rage. Roxanne handed the idol to Sammy, who nodded.

"This is, um, one of the Fire Idols," Sammy said. She reached into her pocket, pulled out two scraps of paper, a lighter, and a coin. "The way the fire idols work is, uh, simple. I flip a coin. Whoever chose the side it lands face up gets to choose which paper I burn."

Sammy lifted both scraps, revealing one said Tara and the other said Roxanne. She laid them face down again, hid them behind her back, and shuffled them. She then placed them back on the podium. "If the scrap with your name survives, you're safe. The one I burned will be eliminated. As Roxanne played the idol, she calls heads or tails."

"Heads are funner to dismantle," Roxanne giggled. Sammy nodded, slightly freaked out, and flipped the coin. She caught it and put it on her hand.

It was tails up.

Tara examined the two scraps carefully before nodding. "Burn the left one," she said. Sammy nodded and did as she was told. Once the scrap was destroyed, Sammy lifted the remaining paper so only she could see. She nodded.

"The player officially safe is...

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Roxanne."

"Oh yay!" the creepy girl said. Tara deflated and looked ticked off.

" _She_ gets to stay over _me_!" she yelled. "WHAT THE #$%!"

"And I thought I got angry," Kellie muttered.

"S-s-sorry Tara, but you are out," Sammy stuttered. She gestured to the volcano, which Tara walked up angrily. Noticing the seat, Tara muttered inappropriate words as she strapped in. Sammy stood next to her. "You officially place thirteenth," she told the brat.

"Whatever. All of you suck," Tara spat. Sammy stomped on the volcano and jumped off. Tara screamed as the volcano erupted, sending her flying off the island into the unknown.

"J-j-just because one person has more votes, um, doesn't mean they don't have an idol," Sammy said. "You guys can go relax now. I'll bring the pizza by shortly."

 **Confessional: Pizza Party!**

 **Roxanne: And now I can kill more people! Shame Tara had to go… making her bleed internally was going to be fun! But I guess I can always hurt someone else. No harm so long as I kill someone before I leave, right?**

 **Gracie: Tara's gone… but did I make the right choice? Or am I going to regret it? I'm grateful I'm still here… but am I grateful I didn't solve things before she went?**

 **Randall: Not how I thought it was going to go down, that's for sure. But hey, Roxanne is still alive and kicking! So long as I get her to the merge, I'm not complaining. Even if I have to eliminate myself to do it.**

 **(Outro)**

Topher stood in front of the Fire House, ready to give the outro. "That elimination was intense, that's for sure," he chuckled. "So, what will happen next time? Will Gracie recover from voting Tara? Will Bruce do anymore 'peacemaking'? Is Roxanne ultimately doomed? What stupid things will come out of Sherry's mouth? And who will be the next person voted off? Find out next time on Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **Voting Confessional: The credits typically role here.**

 **Boomer: I THINK WE DECIDED ON VOTING ROXANNE! I COULD BE WRONG, BUT IT'S HARD TO READ LIPS SOMETIMES! I PREFER IT IF THEY TALK LOUD! ANYWAY, I VOTE ROXANNE!**

 **Gracie: I… vote Tara. Sorry, but… maybe Bruce is right. Maybe I'm too idealistic. I need to focus on the game and not causing conflict… not trying to make amends. I just hope this is the right choice…**

 **Jeremy: I would love to vote for Tara, but I'm inclined to vote for Roxanne tonight. Gracie wants to make amends, so who am I to deny her that?**

 **Kellie: Roxanne** _ **did**_ **try to hurt me earlier today. AND THAT TICKS ME OFF! So… I vote Roxanne.**

 **Randall: #$% #$% #$%! Roxanne's going home, I know it! #$%! You know what? Screw it. I vote Tara. It will do no good, but what else** _ **can**_ **I do? #$%...**

 **Roxanne: I want to kill** _ **all**_ **of my teammates, but I guess voting them off for now is ok. I vote for Boomer, since Randall told me to. And Randall wants to sacrifice himself so I can kill him in whatever way I want! So that makes me happy!**

Teams

Lying Lava: Angelina, Bernard, Bruce, Nora, Sherry, Tristen

Valiant Volcanos: Boomer, Gracie, Jeremy, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne

Eliminated: Jackal, Tara

 **BN: Dang. For some reason, all of these chapters always exceed my TDASB story in terms of words. Weird, considering this cast is smaller in size than that story is. But anyway, enough of that, let's talk business.**

 **ELIMINATION: TARA**

 **Tara was mostly there to run as a gag on MLP, only a different type of show seeing the HuMane seven exist in this universe. Did I originally have plot with her? Not much. But some things about Tara changed that made me see better potential for her character, such as:**

 **-Gracie. While they didn't do much, I felt as though Tara's elimination would best show Gracie's development. They hardly knew each other, and Tara had a death wish on her, but I feel as Tara leaving here is better than leaving where she was supposed to leave. (I had her originally placing eleventh.)**

 **-Roxanne. I felt as though Tara was in no way a hero… and yet she fell victim to an even greater villain. The fact she was voted out over her (or in this case, randomly selected) kind of shows how clouded the judgment of people can be.**

 **-Her negative attitude not actually effecting her downfall. Tara's downfall came from other things, such as not doing well in the challenge, making enemies with Roxanne, and just having plain bad luck. Her attitude had nothing to do with her elimination, which I thought was a nice change from how characters like her normally fall.**

 **Overall, I found Tara kind of a new twist on negative characters. She was snarky and hated being on the show and hated her experience, but none of these things effected the game in the long run. (While she was there, of course. Tara's impact on the game isn't quite over just yet.)**

 **Like? Hate? Meh? Let me know in a review! Or don't! Either works!**

 **Next Time:** Some drama happens and Topher almost dies. (I wonder who causes that…) The challenge turns out to be collecting hot water for the staff's trailers… by using steaming hot geysers.


	6. E3 P1: Social Repair

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: I really didn't expect to get this chapter out so fast. Then again, the first part of these are fairly easier than the challenges. I'm thinking I might stick with this story until after the forth elimination, then I'll go back and write two more episodes for TDASB. I want to merge both of them at roughly the same time, so I'll be switching back and forth depending on my mood. But if one merges long before the other, expect me to switch to the one to merge it. (I do fully plan on finishing this story before TDASB, but I want to get that one pretty far before this one's done.) That's all from me, so enjoy the chapter!**

The darker the water, the hotter it is.

E3 P1: Social Repair

On the island covered with fire, the cameras turned on, showing the host of the popular TV show. Topher grinned and offered a wave to the camera. "Hello, and welcome back to Total Drama Fire Island," he said. "Last time, we had a bunch of drama… and it was only day two! Both teams seemed to have its own issues."

"On the Valiant Volcanos, Tara was continuously afflicted by Roxanne, who kept appearing inside her room. Kellie was ticked off at everyone and Randall tried to make everyone hate him. Suffice it to say, Randall's plan isn't going how he thought it would."

"On the Lying Lava, Bruce tried to diffuse conflicts. It looked like he was starting them though, considering he tried to persuade Nora, who simply stated to the audience that's what was happening. Angelina, on the other hand, seemed to bond well with the other team, which seemed to cause Bruce to think she's causing conflict."

"The challenge," Topher continued, "was at the location known as the Grill Pit. The contestants had to run to the bottom of the pit and grab a steak and bring it back up top. While many people did well, Tristen ended up winning it for the Lying Lava, sending the Valiant Volcanos to their first elimination ceremony."

"It looked like it would be disturbing Roxanne," Topher said with a shudder. "I was actually praying for it to be Roxanne. But Roxanne pulled out one of the hidden Fire idols and managed to luckily slide her way onto the next round. Thus, it meant Tara was eliminated from the contest."

Topher flashed a grin at the camera. "So, what'll happen today? Will Bruce control his team? Will Tristen continue to sit pretty? Does Gracie feel bad for voting for Tara? Can Kellie control her temper? What location will the contestants have to suffer through today? And who'll be voted off next? Find out today on Total Drama Fire Island!"

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

 **(Chris' Trailer)**

Chris was sitting in front of one of his computer monitors. He was checking sonar readings and seemed to be picking something up. He just managed to write something down when the screen changed to Quiltal's face.

"Any luck?" he asked with his permanent smile plastered on.

"I think I have a lead on one of the keys," Chris said. "I'm going to go check out the location I found. It would be helpful if you had a map, you know."

Quiltal's smile didn't waver. "I wouldn't need you if this wasn't difficult," he said. "I can quite well handle my own, and I'm sure I could handle that island myself. My problem? A hero always rises up to beat my siblings. If I am not the one to work to my goal, then no hero will rise to destroy me."

Chris shrugged. "Whatever. I'm only doing this for the cash. If I wanted too, I could totally…" Chris didn't finish as he gasped in pain and clutched his side. He lifted his shirt to notice a thin cut in his side.

"Don't threaten me, even in play," Quiltal said. Chris saw him sheath his sword, which he never saw him draw. "Check for weird landmarks on the radar. That might hold a key. You'll know, too. Look for the carving in the ground. It'll show you where the keys could be."

The video chat ended leaving Chris alone. Back on Quiltal's end, he straightened the swords on his back. Blainely looked at her 'boss' carefully. "How'd you cut Chris on the other side?" she asked.

"You have what you need to know about me. Nothing else is what you need to know," he said, standing. "I need to discuss things with Don about how funds are going. Wait here and make edgic charts for the contestants or something. I may not care for the contest… but I know you hosts relish it, for some weird reason," he muttered. He left Blainely alone, who simply shrugged.

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Gracie was alone in her room that evening. Jeremy and Boomer had went up to their room while the other two girls went off to do whatever. She had no idea what Randall was up to. She sighed as she got into bed and looked at the empty one next to her.

"Did I make that right choice?" she asked herself. "I know it was best to stop the conflict before it started… but was keeping Roxanne a good idea? It was random luck, sure… but I still voted Tara. What does that say about me?"

Silence met her, as of course, she was alone. Gracie sighed. "I came into this game being tankful for the opportunity to meet different types of people, mostly those poorer than I," she said. "I wanted to be able to help people. But all I've done so far is skip a challenge and vote off someone I should have made amends with…"

Gracie sighed. "Too late now," she muttered. "Maybe… maybe I shouldn't vote Bruce's way. I need to eliminate who I morally feel needs to go. Too bad I didn't realize that sooner."

Her face grew a little more confident. "I can still accomplish my goal," she said. "I just need to participate in the next challenge and not hesitate in who I eliminate. I can do this!" She nodded to herself with a smile and laid her head down to sleep.

 **Confessional: Sleep little girl.**

 **Gracie: I know I messed up. Being a rich girl… it's hard to know what the world is really like. I thought by following Bruce's advice, I was doing what the people in the world do. But I realized it's not what I want to do. I need to play the game how I want. Not how the world sees it, not Bruce's way,** _ **mine**_ **. I'm only sorry I figured this out so late.**

Randall was outside, his head resting on a rock as he looked up at the stars. He seemed pretty content with himself as he had a smug smirk on his face. "Job well done Randall," he said. "Granted, it had nothing to do with you, but you tried. A few more rounds and I think I can guarantee Roxanne the win."

He thought for a moment. "Although… it seems as though she's more of a target than I anticipated," he said. "I thought it'd be easier to sneak her to the end sneakily without any suspicion. That option is apparently out."

Randall thought for a few more moments before snapping his fingers. "Simple! We find the other two idols!" he said. "Roxanne lucked out this time, right? What's not to say she can pull it off again? So long as she has it at eliminations, we're golden!"

"Ooo, are we suffocating you with liquid gold now?" came an excited squeal. Randall looked to see Roxanne was walking toward him. "Not the most active murder, but it definitely sounds like a lot of fun!"

Randall offered her a smirk. "I agree. Drowning in a kybo would be worse. All those screams in pure terror… how can I help you?"

"Well, I was wondering if there was a way we can keep me from getting voted off again," she said. "I don't know why I got votes. Maybe because I'm a hot maniac? Anyway, I'll vote whoever you want, just so long as I can kill someone."

Randall thought for a moment before smiling. "I think our next target should, in fact, be Kellie," he said. "She's good at challenges and she gets mad at all of us for absolutely no reason. What do you say?"

Roxanne shrugged. "Can I kill her instead? That sounds a lot more fun!" she said.

"I guess," he said nonchalantly. "But if you don't kill her by the time the next elimination comes around, we need to vote for her."

Roxanne gasped playfully. "Me? Fail to kill someone?" she said. "Why would I _ever_ miss an appurtunity to hear cries in pain? That would just a be crime to miss something so important!"

 **Confessional: Isn't it a crime to kill people in the first place?**

 **Roxanne: Randall's really smart. Maybe I'll only kill the top half of him. That way, the other half can be alive and keep me company!**

 **Randall: She's kind of stupid, but seriously, look how much evil is flowing through her! How can I** _ **not**_ **support her! It doesn't help there isn't really a lot of other villains to support right now. Once the teams merge, I'll check for the most evil people. Roxanne's at the top now, but once the merge hits, who knows how many villains will come out of the shadows?**

Kellie was down in her room alone. No one else bothered to talk to her after the vote, so she was left to her own devices. As of current, she was resting on top of her bed. She was cursing the ceiling.

" #$% #$% #$% #$% #$%!" she shouted. "ROXANNE HAD ALL THE VOTES! WHAT THE #$%! #$% HER #$% IDOL! NOW I'M PROBABLY THE NEXT TARGET AND IT'S ALL THAT #$%'S FAULT!"

Kellie sighed, taking a few deep breathes. "Calm down Kellie," she told herself. "It's ok. You didn't get what you wanted this time, but all you need to do is to keep playing the game. Some of the others seem like allies who won't tick you off. Talk to them and see if they can get you farther."

She took another breath, smiling a small smile. "See? You're already calming down. Don't let genetics ruin your game. Just keep calm and move on. Isn't that how that meme goes? Whatever. All that matters is that I remain calm."

"Hi!" Roxanne said, crossing the room to enter her hidden room.

Kellie's eye twitched. " #$%!"

 **Confessional: All calm and collected until Roxanne walks in.**

 **Kellie:** (Breathing deeply.) **She's not gone… but you can maintain your temper. Breath and keep going. No one can tick you off in here.** (Looks at the camera.) **WHAT THE #$% ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!**

Jeremy and Boomer were both up in their room. They were somewhat chipper, despite how the elimination went. Boomer was reading a comic while Jeremy was pondering something. "I think maybe we should get more allies," Jeremy said. He looked over at Boomer but found that he was listening. "Boomer? Boomer? BOOMER?!"

"HUH?!" he asked, turning his head. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? I WAS IN THE ZONE!"

"I said we should get more allies," he said. "Specifically one more. We're kind of outnumbered right now, so maybe we should take in a temporary ally?"

Boomer thought on that. "GOOD CALL! YOU, ME, AND GRAICE COULD CAUSE A TIE AT THE NEXT ELIMINATION, BUT IF WE HAVE ANOTHER ALLIANCE MEMBER, WE COULD TOTALLY HAVE THE MAJORITY!"

"My thoughts exactly," Jeremy nodded. "I was debating between Randall and Kellie. Seeing Roxanne is, let's face it, insane, she most definitely needs to go. Randall's sneaky and most definitely has something up his sleeve, but he seems to know what he's doing. Kellie on the other hand is great at challenges, but her temper could possibly get us all hurt."

"I TALKED TO KELLIE YESTERDAY!" Boomer remembered. "MAYBE I CAN PERSUADE HER TO HELP US VOTE NEXT TIME!"

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "You've talk to Kellie? And she didn't get angry at you?" he blinked.

"WELL, I THINK SHE WAS SUSPISCIOUS THAT I WAS BEING NICE TO HER," Boomer admitted. "BUT I'M SURE SHE'LL TALK TO ME IF I KEEP ON TRYING TO BE NICE!"

"Well, you try to work on Kellie. I'll try to persuade Randall tomorrow. We'll use whoever works," Jeremy said. "Right now, we should probably try to get some sleep for the challenge tomorrow."

"RIGHT! LET ME JUST FINISH THIS PART OF THE COMIC! THINGS ARE HEATING UP!" Boomer boomed. Jeremy chuckled and shrugged as he went down to sleep.

 **Confessional: Well… this season** _ **is**_ **fire themed.**

 **Boomer: I'M GETTING GOOD AT LIP READING! I MISSED A FEW THINGS JEREMY SAID, BUT IT'S NO BIG DEAL! I GOT THE GIST OF IT! ONCE I WIN THIS CONTEST, MAYBE I'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR HIM NORMALLY SO I DON'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY STRAIN TO HEAR HIM? THAT'D BE NICE!**

 **Jeremy: Boomer's loud, but he's a pretty nice guy. I admit, I don't really want to face him in the finale if we get that far. Gracie I know I could beat, but Boomer? No way! I'll keep the final three deal, but once we're there, I'll have to take out Boomer.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Bruce muttered something in his sleep. "Stop… I didn't mean it like that… don't push her… NO!" Bruce shot awake, his eyes blood-shot. He breathed heavily for a few moments before sighing. He leaned back against the rock and looked up.

"Why did I have to take a side?" he muttered.

 **Confessional: Depends. Are we a triangle or an octagon?**

 **Bruce: Ok, so the way I see it, there are three sides to this team. There's me, Sherry, and Tristen, Bernard and Nora, and then Angelina is off to the side. Nora isn't on board with voting out the problem, so I'm not sure if she'll become a problem in the future or not. Angelina already fraternized with the other team. I'm not sure if she could be considered a problem, but I think I'll be voting for her next. Bernard's the only one I haven't suggested teaming up with yet, but I'm not sure if his problems will actually cause conflict or not, so he might go before Nora does. I think, if I stick to this plan, there's no way I can lose and no conflict will arise.**

Angelina was skipping around with a smile. She was too hyper to go to bed, so she decided to see if she could bounce the energy right out of her. It didn't seem to be working, but she didn't mind. She was having too much fun.

"Skip! Skip! Hop! Gallop! Skip!" she said, changing her bouncing pattern.

"Whale! Reward! Iguana! Phoenix!" Sherry said, skipping up next to Angelina.

"Ooo! I like your way better!" she giggled. "Toaster!"

"Vaccuum!"

"Headset!"

"Turtle!"

 **Ding!**

"Alright girls, time for a song for this episode!" Topher said. "I normally do them during the challenge… but it seems as though you guys are having so much fun, why deny you of more fun?"

Angelina and Sherry both grinned. "Yay!" they cheered.

 **Song 3: Skip, Skip, Hop, Gallop (Sounds like a nursery rhyme gone modern.)**

 **Angelina: Skip, Skip, Hop, Gallop!**

 **Sherry: Shred the hair and eat the scallop!**

 **Angelina: Jump around and act wild!**

 **Sherry: Eh, this shoe tastes kinda mild.**

 **Angelina: Don't know what that means!**

 **Sherry: Don't eat the goat beans!**

 **Angelina: I don't always know what Sherry means**

 **But I don't care if I eat some greens!**

 **Sherry: Popcorn tastes like dead hyena**

 **Not like this story had someone like Pinkemena**

Angelina: My Little Brony reference!

 **Sherry: Dancing like upside cake**

 **Angelina: Swimming like we're in a lake!**

 **Sherry: No bubbles can teach a monkey.**

 **Angelina: I'll just rhyme that with shunkey!**

Sherry: That doesn't make any sense.

Angelina: What?

Sherry: Ringworm!

 **Angelina: I can't always interpret what she says**

 **Hey Sherry, you'd look cool in a fez!**

 **Sherry: Looking eyes don't steal my pie!**

 **Nothing about ice cream makes me die!**

The song ended and both girls giggled. "You're fun!" Angelina told her. "I would typically do thinky stuff and ask you not to vote for me… but I just want to sing more!"

"Sand dollars don't like yaks," Sherry sighed.

Angelina's grin remained on her face. "It's ok! We're on the same team, so we can just see each other tomorrow!" she said.

Sherry's smile returned. "Giant squids!" she squealed. Angelina squealed too and the two girls hugged each other as they jumped up and down.

 **Confessional: Match made in heaven, right?**

 **Sherry: If I were playing this game normally, I bet I would have never really talked to Angelina. But this illogic thing… it helped me make a friend. I didn't realize not making sense would… give me things that make** _ **more**_ **sense.** (Smiles.) **Huh. I guess that's the power of switching how you normally do things.**

 **Angelina: I wonder if Topher will give us another song. That's be soooooooo cool! I love singing and acting like a ditz! Not that I don't already, but that's okaysies! Mom said…** (Stops.) **What about saltines was I talking about? Oh yeah! How salty they are!**

Tristen was alone doing some pushups before he went to bed. He didn't seem in the least exhausted or hurt from his fall earlier and seemed to be working harder than he was before the last challenge. He let out a huge breath as he continued to push himself.

"I was almost killed in the challenge today," he huffed. "Luck was on my side that I didn't land on anything sharp. What is up with these contestants and getting people hurt? I thought I'd just be here to be a level headed adrenaline junkie, but it seems like I have to watch out for insane killers too."

Tristen did another push-up. "Angelina seems to be doing fine though," he said to himself. "I know I talked to her yesterday… but it seems like forever. Maybe I'll check up to be sure she's doing ok tomorrow. It seems like she's making friends, which is nice to see."

He let out a jagged breath. "She's also befriending the other team," he noted. "I'm not worried about that at all… but others on our team may not agree. Bruce is my ally, so maybe he'll listen to reason in keeping Angelina. She and Sherry are a lot alike, so he can't really just vote off someone because they talk with the other team."

Tristen started to slow down and eventually stopped. He got off his hands and knees and lied down on the rocks. "Just got to win challenges," he said to himself. "Take calculated risks and keep her safe. That's all there really is to it, I guess.

 **Confessional: I don't have a calculator.**

 **Tristen: The way I see it, Bruce is probably going to vote for Angelina next. Thing is, Angelina is my main ally and best friend here. I don't see any logic in voting out my day one partner. Perhaps Bruce is willing to vote for Nora first, since she's not exactly the best of people. She does kind of cause conflict, so that proves my point.**

Bernard rubbed his hands as if they were hurting. He'd been aching to grope something all day and he turned up with nothing. No boobs… no ass… nothing. He muttered to himself about the world sucking as he wandered around, feelings as if his hands were totally unloved.

"Stupid world… I _need_ sustenance. I can't just leave my hands aching like this! _I need ass!"_ he groaned.

His head turned slightly and he saw someone. He subtly stared in that general direction to find that it was Nora, with her back turned and her asleep. Bernard rubbed his hands eagerly and quietly made his way over to her.

She hadn't moved since he made his way over. Bernard smirked. The perfect prey. His hands could finally stop all their aching. He got close to her and snuck around to her front. Her eyes were shut tight, making him grin wider.

"Come to me, my precious," he said, moving his hands toward her boobs…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Only to be punched in the groin. Bernard moaned and fell to the ground in pain. Nora had not opened her eyes, but her fist was where Bernard's groin was. "I see everything," she muttered. "Don't try any of that #$% again."

"Yes mam," Bernard whimpered.

 **Confessional: Poor guy can't catch a break.**

 **Bernard: I just wanted a handful of boob! Is there seriously anything wrong with that? I don't think so!**

 **Nora: I heard Bernard mumbling to himself and then suddenly stop. I knew he was coming toward me, knowing his pervert tendencies. I felt a rock come close, knowing he was near. As for pinpointing his groin with my eyes shut… I learned how to aim when Redrick gave me midnight practice. Failure wasn't an option.**

 **(Next Morning)**

Topher yawned as he was still waking up from having a good night's sleep. He was sitting in his trailer at a table with a cup of coffee. He was reading a newspaper (from a few weeks ago) just to set him in the lazy morning type of mood.

"Nothing like coffee to get me up," Topher said, grabbed his cup and lifting it to his lips. However, he noticed something odd. The cup seemed to be… melting. It took him a moment to process it. " #$%!" he yelled.

Meanwhile, Amy had a scrap of paper and was walking toward Topher's trailer with a mumble. She reached the door and was about to knock when it flung open and the mug flew out of the door. Amy raised an eyebrow as she walked inside.

"Do I even want to know?" she asked.

"Roxanne #$% tried to kill me by putting lava in my coffee," he muttered. "I don't even know _how_ she put the lava there! I fixed it literally two minutes ago!"

Amy shrugged. "People do drastic things to prevent other things form happening," she said. "Speaking of which… I thought I told you to stay away from my sister."

Topher raised an eyebrow. "The last time I talked to her was yesterday, and all we did was have a nice convo between friends. We were bored! What did you expect me to do? And last I checked, you kind of work for me. I should be telling _you_ to stay away from your sister."

Amy gasped. " _Me_?! I'm just the lovable older sister who treats the younger one as lesser. Nothing wrong with that," she said.

Topher glared at her. "It's sad you don't see how sick you really are," Topher grumbled. "I'm guessing your hear for more than just making sure I stay away, right?"

"Of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be seen dead with you," Amy gagged. She passed Topher the paper. "Chris found the next location for the contestants. Asked me to give you this. Also, we're running short on hot water for the trailers."

"Already? Where the heck is it all going?" he muttered. He looked at the scrap of paper before smirking. "Actually, this location is perfect in getting some hot water. Don't worry, we'll have plenty by tonight."

"Thank #$%! I'm _dying_ for a #$% hot shower," Amy muttered.

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Gracie yawned and stretched as she woke up the next morning. She gave a small smile, feelings well rested. She knew she'd have to make up for the last elimination, but as felt as though she could handle it this time. She turned around to get off her bed only to yelp to see Roxanne standing there licking her hand.

"How did you get in here?" Gracie asked, a bit concerned for herself.

"I picked the lock," Roxanne giggled. "I _really_ needed to talk to you."

Gracie looked at Roxanne's hand to see that it was red. "What happened to your hand? Did you cut it open or something?" she asked.

"Of course! I'm thirsty!" she said and giggled. "Listen, I know you voted for Tara last night."

Gracie tensed. "Yeah… I did. I'm sorry, but I wasn't thinking straight and was listening to Bruce from the other team, since his advice sounded good at the time…"

"It's ok," Roxanne said with a smile.

Gracie sighed in relief. "Really?" she asked.

Roxanne's smile suddenly turned malicious. "Of course," she said. "All I need to do is find my next victim! And guess what Gracie-pie? I chose you! I'm thinking I'll slice you open, burn your insides, sew you back up, and then force feed you lava! I don't know if that's the plan for sure, but I know you're going to go through Hell!"

Gracie paled. "But… I voted off Tara…" she whimpered.

"You sure did! Shame too, so many possible murders I could have had with her," Roxanne said with a sigh. "Oh well! You'll work fine! I'll see you later, I have to see if I have a pair of pliers handy to rip out your organs!"

Roxanne gave a giggle and left the room. Gracie was pale and curled up in a ball on her bed. "What have I done?" she murmured to herself.

 **Confessional: Wood can't bleed.**

 **Gracie:** (Pale.) **I made a mistake… what have I done? WHAT THE #$% DID I DO?!**

 **Roxanne: You think I could strangle Gracie to death using only my hair? That'd be pretty cool to see!** (Giggles.)

Randall was still outside, yawning as he woke up. For some reason, he found he slept better outside than he did inside the house. He stood up and popped his back with a grin. "I wonder what possible villainy Roxanne will cause today!"

Randall stretched a bit more and spotted Jeremy approach. He hid a smirk and continud to stretch until Jeremy reached him. He yawned again and smiled at the tenor. "Hello! Nice to see you so decrep-I mean, nice to see you!"

"I guess it's a pleasure to see you as well," Jeremy shrugged. "Can we talk a bit?"

"Sure, I totally am not planning your gruesome demise," Randall shrugged. "What did you need to talk about?"

Jeremy raised an eyebrow at Randall's sentence but decided to shrug it off. "I need more votes, apparently," he said. "Roxanne's a monster. She needs to go fast. I have three votes, which is practically half. One more should seal the deal."

"Interesting," Randall said, rubbing his chin. "Consider me onboard!"

Jeremy sighed in relief. "Thanks. This team will be safer before we know it," Jeremy said and made his way off to do whatever it was he did.

Once Jeremy was out of sight, Randall scowled. "I need to get rid of him," he muttered. "He's throwing a wrench in my plans."

 **Confessional: I don't see any wrench.**

 **Randall: The way I see things, Jeremy is the unofficial leader of the alliance he's in. A threat, no doubt about it. How do I plan on counteracting this? No idea. I do know he has to be the next one to go, otherwise Roxanne's in danger. How the #$% am I supposed to do that though?**

 **Jeremy: He's creepy and no doubt trying to plan my elimination, but I think he's on our side for the moment. Once Roxanne is gone, we'll have to eliminate Randall, since he** _ **is**_ **planning on attacking me. But what am I worrying about? I'm here to relax, not strategize. Everything will be fine.**

Kellie had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Literally. She was facing a wall with frustration and anger. She was currently glaring angrily at the wall. It didn't take long before…

"AARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH! DIE YOU #$% WALL!" she roared and started punching the wall.

… that happened.

Kellie was still punching the wall when Boomer walked down into her room. He winced at the poor wall getting beaten the crap out of. Kellie reared up for another punch when Boomer said, "HI KELLIE!"

Kellie stopped her attack and turned to Boomer. She scowled, but the anger seemed to slip off her face. "It's you," she muttered. "What the #$% do you want?"

"JUST WANTED TO CHAT!" Boomer said with a grin. "YOU SEEM PRETTY INTERESTING AND COOL, AND I FELT SINCE WE'RE TEAMMATES, WE COULD GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER!"

Kellie looked at Boomer suspiciously. "I hate everything and punch everything that ticks me off," she grumbled. "Why would you talk to someone like that?"

Boomer simply shrugged with a small smile. "WE'RE ALL PRETTY DIFFERENT! YOU EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH ANGER! I MIGHT BE THE OPPOSITE OF YOU… BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND!"

Kellie stared at Boomer carefully. "What if I don't want to _be_ your friend? Ever think of that #$%?" she grumbled.

Boomer shrugged, his smile never leaving his face. "I'LL COME BACK TOMORROW," he said. "AND THE NEXT DAY, AND THE NEXT DAY! ONE OF THESE DAYS, MAYBE YOU'LL WANT TO TALK TO ME!" Boomer walked away, leaving Kellie with a stunned expression on her face.

 **Confessional: I'm here forever, so come confess in me!**

 **Kellie:** (Looks confused.) **Who does Boomer think he is? Doesn't he see I'm a monster? I can't** _ **be**_ **anything** _ **but**_ **angry! How can I be his friend if I can't feel anything but** _ **hate**_ **?** (Shakes, but not in anger.) **I** _ **want**_ **to be his friend… but why force someone to have to tolerate my raw anger?**

 **Boomer: I WANT TO GET THROUGH TO KELLIE FOR TWO REASONS! ONE, I REALLY DO WANT TO BE HER FRIEND AND UNDERSTAND WHY SHE'S SO ANGRY ALL THE TIME! TWO, I CAN ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING MOST OF THE TIME! SHE'S LOUD ENOUGH THAT I CAN JUST BY PASS READING HER LIPS!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The moment Tristen had woken up, he had started doing push-ups. He took deep breaths as he continued to go up and down. He smiled as he saw Angelina bounce up to him. "Good morning," he huffed. "Sleep well?"

"Yeppers! I danced around in a flied of daises!" she giggled. "Then I dreamt about being a contestant on a game show!"

Tristen chuckled. "Don't you have the two reversed?" he asked.

Angelina thought hard for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't _think_ I do! I mean, I almost died in my dream! Some guy who faked who he was pushed me off a cliff and you saved me!"

Tristen chuckled again. "Aren't I real though?" he asked. "I actually did that when you were awake."

Angelina seemed to digest that before a realization occurred. "Oh yeah!" she said, giggling. "I forgot! Of course you're real Mr. Boss! I kind of need you to be real…"

Tristen chuckled a moment before pausing. "What was that last bit?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing! Hey, I made a friend last night! She's super cool!" Angelina said, going back to bouncing up and down. "It's Sherry! Can we keep her for a few rounds? Please?"

Tristen thought about her request for a moment before nodding. "I think we can," he said with a smile. "I'm not too sure who we'd vote for if we lost today, so let's plan on not losing. That sound like a good idea to you?"

Angelina grinned as she bounced more and more. "Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!" she cheered.

Tristen chuckled. "Taking that as your way of saying yes," he chuckled.

 **Confessional: Makes me wonder how she says no.**

 **Tristen: As I've said, Angelina is my best friend and I'm not going to turn on her. Sherry's apparently her friend, so that leaves Bernard, Nora, and Bruce. I'm aligned with Bernard and Bruce, which leaves Nora. Thing is, should I value one alliance over another? I never really planned to fill the strategist role, so I'm just going to focus on winning the challenge.**

 **Angelina: You guys want to know how I say no to people? Sausage! Because bacon is far superior! Duh!**

Sherry sat on her rock, a small smile on her face. Bruce had left a while ago, so she was left alone to her thoughts. She continued to smile as she looked at the sky. "I never realized… I'd make friends," she said. "The point of this illogic was to prove I don't have to be myself to get through the game. I was going to be someone different so I could show the world that logic isn't the only way."

"But…" she paused. "Angelina… she's a friend. We both acted random, and we kind of had a bond… I never realized I'd make here. I thought being random and not making sense would make me a loner…"

"We literally just met and just had our first interaction… and yet I feel closer to Angelina more than Bruce," Sherry realized. "And she doesn't even know the real me. Maybe this move… wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done."

Sherry continued to think to herself as Bernard approached her rock. His eyes were red and he kept rubbing his hands in pain. He looked up at the top of the rock with hunger. "Need… to… grope… ASS!" he gasped. He slowly started to make his way up the rock.

Once he grabbed the top, he lifted himself so his head could see Sherry. However, he was met with a random goofy face and an evil grin. "PANCAKES!" she yelled and punched him in the face. The reaction stunned Bernard, who suddenly let go of the rock and fell to the ground.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh," he groaned before passing out in exhaustion.

"Well," Sherry blinked. "Being random at least saved me from _him_. Geez, he needs to get a life."

 **Confessional: If he's a scout, he might already have one.**

 **Sherry: I want Angelina to get to know the real me, not this fake illogical one I made up for a stupid reason. She really is a great person, and I never would have been her friend if I wasn't using illogic. After the challenge, I'll tell her. Might as well say farewell to this shtick by using it one last time.**

 **Bernard:** (Looks in pain.) **I NEED ASS!**

Nora was simply wandering around in thought. She was planning her next move, as she wanted to be prepared. Bernard was her ally… but she didn't know how much longer he would last. She continued to think when she noticed Bruce approach.

"Think about what we talked about last night?" he asked.

"I have… and I again deny to take a side," she said. "Which is what you claim to be doing, and yet you are forming an alliance to rise against those who cause conflict. Do you _see_ the irony?"

"It's the only way to prevent others from getting hurt," he growled. "Lucky for you, Angelina's at the top of the list. She's talking to the other team and not taking challenges seriously. The team might suffer because of her, thus, she's an issue that must be dealt with before it gets out of hand."

Nora looked at Bruce carefully. "Quit compensating for the fact you're responsible for Morgan," she said. Bruce tensed up, fear and anger dancing in his eyes. Nora nodded in confirmation. "Theory confirmed."

Bruce roughly grabbed Nora and stared at her with hate. " _NEVER_ mention her name _again_. Am I made perfectly clear?"

"You make your point clear through your words," she said, simply brushing off his hands. "But your actions disgrace her name." Nora turned around and walked off. Bruce shook in anger as he stared after her.

"Redrick wouldn't approve of using people close to you against others!" he snarled. Nora paused and turned her head. Bruce noticed, not anger, but hurt in her eyes.

"You're wrong," she said. "You're so. Dead. Wrong."

 **Confessional: These two, am I right?**

 **Bruce: Who the** _ **#$%**_ **does Nora think she is? She has no** _ **right**_ **to speak her name! I am doing this to make up for my** _ **mistake**_ **. I'm no hypocrite. Nora will see… Nora will see…**

 **Nora: Bruce sucks at observing. Redrick taught me how to be swift, how to observe with almost nothing. He did it by using things against me. Look at me now. I'm observant and I have mastered the ability of sensing presence. Bruce should not speak about things he can't even begin to imagine are true.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Jeremy made his way back into the house and passed by Gracie's door. He paused for a moment when he thought he heard crying. He backtracked and pressed his ear to the door. Indeed, he heard sobbing coming from the inside. He promptly knocked and the crying stopped. "It's Jeremy," he said. "Can I come in?"

There was silence on the other side for a moment before he heard Gracie sob, "It's open…"

Jeremy opened the door and walked inside. Gracie was sobbing in her bed, looking like a mess. Jeremy walked over and sat on Tara's old bed and looked at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Gracie sniffled. "R-R-Roxanne," she sobbed. "Sh-sh-she threatened… to k-k-k-kill me! T-T-T-Tara was her pl-pl-play thing and n-n-n-now that she's g-g-g-gone… Roxanne want's a new t-t-t-toy! She chose m-m-m-m-me!"

Jeremy's jaw dropped in horrow. "What the #$%?" he growled. "Ok, that's it. Screw the challenge, screw everything, Roxanne _shouldn't_ be allowed to be here! Mark my words, she's _next_."

Gracie gave him an appreciative smile. "Th-th-th-th-th-thank you," she stammered.

Jeremy gave her a small smile in return. "That's what friends are for," he said.

 **Confessional: Unless said friends try to get you in jail. Then they're your best friends!**

 **Jeremy: How can Topher be so sick in picking Roxanne? She's obviously insane and I think she actually wants to kill all of us if she gets the chance!** (Pales.) **Crap. Didn't she say she tried to kill Tristen from the other team yesterday? What the #$% did she do to try to do that?**

 **Topher: For the record,** _ **I**_ **didn't pick the contestants! Chris called in before the season started and told me that he already had someone on the contestant selection! If it were my choice, Roxanne wouldn't be on the cast roster!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Tristen was still doing push-ups later that morning. He didn't seem like he was slowing down and he kept at it. It took him a while to notice that Sherry was walking toward him. "Hey Sherry!" Tristen called. Sherry turned her head and walked over to Tristen. "I just wanted to say hi. Angelina said you guys became friends last night, so I thought I'd might as well be friends with you too."

Sherry gave him a smile. "Spiders in tap dancing shoes in the middle of an ice rink," she said. Tristen chuckled at that.

"No wonder you two hit it off," he said. "Listen, I know you're random and illogical… but when I'm not around, could you keep an eye on her? She can look after herself, but knowing her, who knows the random hijinks she could get into. Just when it's you two, could you be the sane one?"

Sherry blinked in surprise. She was too stunned to answer. Tristen… trusted her. They only just met… and he trusted her. "I will," she said.

"Good, I… wait, did you just say something that made sense?" he asked.

"Cheesecake taste like #$%!" Sherry declared and vanished in a random puff of smoke. Tristen blinked, shrugged, and then promptly went back to his push-ups.

However, he didn't do too many until the intercom crackled to life. "Attention contestants," he said. "Meet over by the four-wheelers for your next challenge!" Tristen smiled, stopped his push-ups, and went to go see what obstacle would be in his path this time.

 **Confessional: Don't question greatness!**

 **Tristen: Challenges seem to be my forte. If we win those, the strategy part won't be an issue. Not that I don't** _ **mind**_ **strategy, since I'm practically aligned with everyone right now minus Nora. Geez, I'm the challenge guy. How the heck did I end up the strategy guy?**

 **Sherry: … How do I keep making friends? I really do need to drop this act… because I know now it was a mistake.**

The remaining twelve contestants had made their way over to the four-wheelers. Topher, Sammy, and Amy each took some of the teens to the next location, which turned out to be a normal field with holes in the ground and darker rock around each hole.

Topher stood in front of the contestants and grinned. "Before I announce the challenge, let me first announce that as the Lying Lava can see, the Valiant Volcanos voted off Tara last night."

Bruce smirked. "Perfect. Gracie must have listened to my advice."

"Now then, today's challenge is going to be helping us with a problem," Topher said. "See, we kind of ran out of water for our trailers. We need a big supply of more, so we decided to have you guys collect us some."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Jeremy asked.

"Simple. Sammy, pass out the buckets," Topher said. Sammy complied and handed each contestant a bucket. "You guys will each fill a bucket. However, you may only fill one bucket at a time and your entire team has to be there to help fill it. Once one bucket is full, bringing it back and then go back to fill the next bucket. The team who fills all six buckets first wins immunity."

"Where are we supposed to fill these things?" Randall asked.

"That ties into todays location," Topher smirked. The contestants looked past him and suddenly, from one of the holes, steaming hot water burst from them. "Behold: The Geyser Mines!"

"How long did it take you to come up with that one?" Amy grumbled.

"Like you could have come up with better," Topher grumbled. "The rules with the geysers are simple: both teams have six distinct geysers they have to go to, one farther away than the next. All six members must stand in a designated area to make the geyser go off. You can only fill a bucket from a particular geyser once, so prepare to make your trip longer and longer as the day wears on. Any questions?"

"Is this safe?" Bruce asked. "I mean, geyser water is super hot."

"Then don't be near a geyser when it erupts," Topher shrugged. "For the designated geysers, stay in the area we've taped off and you'll be fine. Leave your bucket close to the geyser and it'll be alright. Any more questions?" No one raised their hands. "In that case, you may begin… NOW!"

Both teams bolted out into the geyser mine and Topher looked at the camera with a smile. "So, who's going to win the challenge? What drama will be caused? Will Sherry reveal her true colors? And will Roxanne succeed in killing someone? Find out after the break!"

"Pray someone dies, because I'm bored as #$%," Amy muttered.

 **Next Time:** The contestants fill the buckets and one team loses. Drama happens and another person takes the Eruption of Shame.


	7. E3 P2: The Geyser Minefields

**Disclaimer: I own only the 14 OC contestants and Quiltal. I own nothing more, nothing less.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Whoa, three episodes in and I'm doing great! At least, I think so. OC seasons are a lot funner than canon seasons. Not that TDASB isn't fun, but I do enjoy these guys more than the others. With three eliminations under my belt, I think I might have this season in the bag. With this being the end of episode three, I'm going to finish off episode eighteen of TDASB before I come back to this. Its lack of updates makes it sad. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

Drip, drip, burn!

E3 P2: The Geyser Minefield

The two teams had split off from the starting point and started to run into the Geyser Minefield. They soon noticed different colored markers. The Valiant Volcanos followed the red ones while the Lying Lava followed the orange ones. Currently, both teams seemed to have different strategies.

"Hey guys! Random thought," Jeremy called back to his team. "What if we run to the end of the markers to the last geyser? That way, we can simplify the distance earlier on."

"Sounds like a stup- I mean, sounds good," Randall said sneakily.

"RIGHT ON! LET'S GET A MOVE ON!" Boomer boomed and charged ahead of the group. The others followed him close behind, Roxanne in the back pondering something.

"I wonder I can push someone in one of these things?" she said. "Would they drown or burn to death first?"

Meanwhile, the Lying Lava decided to take the easy way and planned on taking the geysers in the order set. Nora was in the lead, with Bernard moaning behind the rest of the group. "Can I rest now? I'm _tired_. My hands _ache_. I'm _bored_ ," he whined.

"Shut up, would you?" Bruce called back to him. "We need to win this challenge so another problem can be voted off the other team."

"I knew that was going to come from your mouth," Nora drawled. "You're so predictable."

Bruce glared at her. "You kind of are too," he said. "Always predicting our movements and such, getting in close so you can realize who we really are."

"But you don't know how I'm going to do it," Nora pointed out. "Perhaps it's best you let me lead and you can simply shut up and follow." Bruce scowled, but shrugged, as he didn't really seem to have much choice in the matter.

 **Confessional: Mind of matter.**

 **Bruce: I don't get how Nora's seen as an idol on this team. I mean, sure, no one actually talks to her much, but you have to admit that no one complained when she took charge. She's seriously trying to start something, I know it in my gut.**

 **Bernard: I'm not really liking Bruce much. He cut back on my resting time. Maybe Nora and her ass will vote for Bruce. Seriously, I** _ **need**_ **to grope someone soon. Or maybe steal a wallet. I'll do that instead.**

 **Randall: Again, Jeremy thinks he's the unofficial leader of the team. I need to convince** _ **someone**_ **to vote him off next time we lose. The worst thing that could happen would be a tie between him and Roxanne. I just need the perfect person to set up.**

 **Boomer: JEREMY'S A GREAT LEADER, BOTH OF THE TEAM AND THE ALLIANCE! IF I DON'T WIN, HE PROBABLY HAS A SOLID SHOT AT WINNING THIS FOR HIS FRIENDS!**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer was ecstatically running ahead of the rest of his team. He had so much pent up energy that his team decided to just let him run ahead. Jeremy stood back, smiling at his new friend. "You really can't hold him back, can you?" he chuckled.

"We just met him, and you seem like you guys have been friends for a long time," Gracie noticed.

"Well, he's that best friend you meet in a temporary situation," Jeremy shrugged. "He's not my best friend ever, but my best friend on this show, tied with you."

"Really?" Gracie blushed.

Jeremy smiled. "Of course. I met you guys first, and you guys are still my friends," he said. "But, between you and me, I'm thinking of taking you to the finale. Boomer's great, but I think I could beat you in whatever finale they threw at us."

Gracie smirked. "You think I'm that easily beaten?" she asked. "Think again!" The two friends chuckled and continued on their way forward.

 **Confessional: I'm friends with that rock right there.**

 **Gracie: Jeremy really is a sweet guy. He loves to sing, which is hot by the way, and he generally cares about the people he meets. In all honesty, I think Topher put him on this show just to keep me level headed.**

 **Topher: Again, I didn't select the contestants for this season! But, thanks for the compliment. I like to think the selection is picked for the best possible outcomes. And drama, that too.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had already reached their first geyser. Tristen rushed over and set his bucket close enough to the geyser. He went with the rest of his team and stood on the spot designated for standing. The geyser felt the pressure and went off. The bucket slowly filled to the brim.

Once it was filled, Tristen stepped off the area, making the geyser die down. "Ok, so I think we should each carry one bucket back," he said. "Who wants to take it back first?"

"Might as well," Bernard muttered. "I need my hands doing _something_. They _ache_!"

"Have you tried hand cream?" Bruce asked.

"They ache because he wants to grope women's boobs and asses," Nora said. "Pay attention. Bernard, pick up the bucket. Get your mind out of the gutter and into a geyser."

Bernard muttered something that no one understood and went over and grabbed the bucket. Once he got it, he started making his way back, the rest of his team following slowly behind.

"Is he always like that?" Bruce muttered.

"Been like that since birth, which is a lot creepier if you stand there and think about it for a long period of time," Nora muttered back.

 **Confessional: I don't think it matters how long, it's creepy.**

 **Bruce: I'm thinking it'll go Angelina, Nora, and then Bernard. I mean, I would take Bernard out before the girls so he doesn't cause conflict with them, but I realized that if I took out the girls out first, then I wouldn't need to worry about Bernard's obsession at all! Sherry stays, though, because I kind of need her as my ally.**

 **Bernard: All I hear from this team is whining. Why don't they shut up and do their own work? Geez. Anyway, I think, while Tristen is a threat, Bruce should go for trying to make people not cause problems. I** _ **don't**_ **have problems, but by the way Bruce is thinking, it's like he** _ **thinks**_ **I have problems. And I most definitely** _ **don't**_ **have problems.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The Valiant Volcanos had only just barely reached their first geyser. As they approached, Kellie looked back and groaned. "The other team already has one bucket," she grumbled. "WE'RE #$% #$%!"

"Relax," Jeremy said. "Everyone, quick! Stand on the area marked off! Randall, leave the bucket by the geyser." Randall obeyed (reluctantly) and everyone did as Jeremy had asked. Soon, the geyser went off, much to Roxanne's delight.

"Yay! Who should we shove in face first?" she said giddily.

"UM, HOW ABOUT NO ONE?" Boomer suggested.

Roxanne pouted. "But I want _someone_ to die via drowning this season! Considering there is hardly any water around, I think this is the best bet we'll have all season!"

The majority of the Valiant Volcanos shared freaked out looks. However, they didn't have a long time to think about what Roxanne had said, as the bucket was soon filled. "Alright, I'll haul this piece of sh- I mean, the bucket," Randall said and ran to grab it.

"We're still #$% behind. WE'RE GOING TO #$% LOSE!" Kellie screamed.

"No, we won't," Jeremy said confidently. "I have a plan, and I know it'll work. Trust me."

"Not on your life," Randall muttered as he passed by Jeremy.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Let's move!"

 **Confessional: I'm afraid I can't move.**

 **Kellie: Jeremy's a dumb #$%! NO #$% WAY WE CAN WIN! THE LYING LAVA IS FAR AHEAD AND THIS TIME SUCKS #$%! WE'RE SO TOTALLY #$% SCREWED!**

 **Randall: Thing is, I kind of see the logic in Jeremy's strategy for this challenge. Since me and Roxanne are in the minority, I kind of have to go along with it. I want Jeremy gone, and I swear by all things villainous I will get him out of this game one way or another, but as of now, I'll follow his plan so long as we win in the end.**

 **Boomer: AM I THE ONLY ONE FREAKED OUT ROXANNE WANTED TO DROWN SOMEONE ON A FIRE THEMED ISLAND? WHY NOT BURN SOMEONE? WOULDN'T THAT MAKE MORE SENSE? NO THAT I CONDONE KILLING PEOPLE WITH FIRE! NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had dropped off their first bucket and was going for their second. After a few moments of jogging, the Valiant Volcanos were just running back from their first. This gave Bruce a chance to smirk.

"Look at that. The other team is well behind us," Bruce said. "At this rate, another conflict will be stopped before it starts, and I won't even have to take things into my own hands."

"But I like holding things in my hands!" Angelina claimed. "Like this random goat I found!" Everyone turned to see that, sure enough, Angelina was holding and entire goat in her arms. They blinked in surprise.

"Do I even want to know where that thing came from?" Bernard asked.

"It's Angelina. It came from wherever the heck she wanted it to come from," Tristen shrugged.

"Crumb cake!" Sherry agreed half-heartedly.

"Oh, come on guys! You're going soft on me!" Bruce said. "We have to focus our attention on the task at hand! Otherwise, more and more contention will rise to meet us!"

"Broccoli!" Sherry declared.

"That's the spirit Sherry! Let's how the Valiant Volcanos who we truly are," Bruce nodded and surged ahead of the rest of the group, making the others want to work harder to catch up. Unless it was Bernard, who simply shrugged and walked his normal pace.

 **Confessional: When you can walk, you walk!**

 **Sherry: Ok, so yes, I am still acting like an illogical goof.** _ **But**_ **, there is a method to my madness. I want to win the challenge so that we're not already in a bad moral when we lose so people might want to vote me off for acting dumb and useless. I want to reveal who I am at the right moment so that Angelina doesn't get disappointed and not want to be my friend anymore…**

 **Angelina: OMG! I just realized that I've been neglecting my BFFFL! Sure, Mr. Boss is my BMFFL, and probably my BF, standing for best friend, not boyfriend, but Sherry is right there next to him! Maybe we should all team up! THAT'S BE AWESOME!**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer was still leading the group, Jeremy close behind. Randall was grumbling to himself near the back, troubling over how bad he was on his team. "So Roxanne is next on the chopping block. #$%, this is harder than I thought! There has to be some way to keep her around," he pondered.

"Hey Randall," Gracie said, slowing down to walk with him. "You and I haven't talked much. How have you been doing on the team so far?"

"Eh, I hate every- I mean, I love everyone on this team!" he said giddily. "It's a shame to vote off any of you guys, really. Too bad we can't all just automatically be safe, huh?"

"Yeah, it is too bad," Gracie admitted. "But I think the show wouldn't be as interesting if we didn't have someone leave every single day. Plus, some of these people, like Roxanne, need to be voted out. She's too dangerous and scary to let compete."

Randall pondered this for a moment before smirking. "How do you know she's dangerous?" he asked her.

"Well, she almost killed Tara, and she threatened to kill me," Gracie said. "She's a dangerous person, just waiting to kill us all!"

"But what if she's just pretending?" Randall suggested. "I mean, Roxanne's pretty innocent. I doubt she would _actually_ kill anyone. She's just morbid and _acts_ like she wants to kill people. It may not seem like it to us since we're not used to it, but I bet that's what it is."

Gracie looked conflicted. "I don't think that's what it is," she said.

Randall simply shrugged. "Alright," he said. "Just a theory. But really, you never know if I could be right or not. For all you know, you might just vote out a very innocent person." Randall walked quicker, pulling ahead of Gracie, leaving the girl in thought.

 **Confessional: Thought bubble montage!**

 **Randall: Do I know if Roxanne is actually dangerous or not? #$% no! I bet Roxanne is actually a mental insane person who's been to prison for murdering several different people. That would be so cool! I'm working with a serial killer! I can cross that off the bucket list. Anyway, it doesn't really matter what Roxanne is, so long as I can persuade people to our side. I think I have Gracie hooked… we'll have to see.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks at the camera in a confused manner.) **On one hand, I know what Roxanne said, and it totally utterly creeps me out to no end. But Randall did make sense. What of Roxanne is just being morbid and not meaning any of the creepy things she says? I'm just not sure who to trust right this moment.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had quickly made their way to the next geyser. Tristen left a bucket near it and stood on the area. The geyser exploded, making Angelina giggle. "It looks like a guy peeing!" she said, giggling the entire time.

"So immature," Bruce muttered.

"Actually, she's quite mature. She's just over positive and likes to be goofy because…" Nora was saying.

"Cake tastes good!" Angelina interrupted.

"Sure, let's go with that," Tristen chuckled. "Who wants to take this next bucket?"

"I might as well carry some of the weight of the team," Bruce said. "After all, I don't stir the pot like some other people in this contest do." He made sure to stare straight at Nora when he said this.

"You may stare and make fun, I just know you are misguided and a hypocrite," Nora shrugged. "Do as you will, you have no effect on me."

Bruce stuck his tongue out and ran to grab the bucket. Nora glanced around before letting out a small giggle. "Now who's immature," she said, a small smile on her face.

 **Confessional: Can wood have a maturity level?**

 **Nora:** (She has a stone face on.) **I was not showing emotion. Redrick said no emotion. Emotion should never be shown, or I shall be punished. And during punishment, no emotion should be shown either.**

 **Tristen: You ever get the feeling that sometimes you're just there? Like, seriously, I feel as though everyone is getting a good amount of screen time, but I'm just there for the challenge. Is that normal?** (Thinks about it for a moment.) **Nah, just me over thinking how life works.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

They had reached the second farthest geyser and stood on the pressure area to catch their breath. Gracie put the bucket close to the geyser and joined her team. Boomer grinned as the geyser erupted.

"YOU GUYS EVER THINK GEYSER'S LOOK LIKE SOMEONE PEEING?" Boomer asked.

"Way to steal the same comment from the other team," Randall mumbled.

"WHAT WAS THAT?! I COULDN'T SEE YOUR LIPS!"

"Oh, nothing! Just me being insane and talking to myself," Randall said in faux innocence.

"OH, OK! THAT MAKES ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SENSE TO ME!" Boomer said with a grin. "HEY, I THINK THAT THE BUCKET IS READY TO GO!"

Gracie nodded and jumped off the pad. The geyser went down and Gracie grabbed the bucket. She nodded over to her team, who began to follow her back.

"I wonder if I could stuff my own head in the water?" Roxanne pondered.

"Maybe later. Right now, I need to find a way to make this splitting headache go away," Randall muttered, rubbing his forehead.

 **Confessional: Are geysers gender neutral?**

 **Boomer: SERIOUSLY, GEYSERS ARE LIKE GUYS PEEING! OR COULD IT BE GIRLS?! I THINK IT COULD BE EITHER WAY, DEPENDING ON THE SHAPE OF THE GEYSER! YAY FOR ME MAKING VERY GOOD OBSERVATIONS!**

 **Randall: At this point, I seriously wouldn't mind changing the plan to get rid of Boomer. He's giving me a headache and I hate having to listen to his obnoxious voice. Ugh. Still, Jeremy's a strategic threat, and while I hate headaches, I hate strat bots taking out my allies more.**

The two teams both got back to the host at the same time. They gasped at seeing each other both tied. "How are you catching up to us?" Bruce demanded.

"SCIENCE!" Boomer yelled.

"The author doesn't believe in science!" Angelina giggled.

"What?" Tristen blinked.

"What?"

"ANYWAY!" Kellie growled, shutting up all other conversation. "We're kind of all in a hurry since we both want to win. So, let's stop having idle chitchat AND WORK LIKE MAN, YOU #$%! COME ON, LET'S MOVE OUR ASSES ALREADY!"

"Yes mam!" Jeremy, Randall, and Gracie said in fear and began to ran for their lives. Boomer and Roxanne shrugged, both for different reasons, and simply jogged to catch up. Kellie nodded and followed after her team.

"See? Why can't we have a relationship like that?" Bruce asked.

"Because we pretty much all hate you, we just don't make it known. Let's hurry before they pull ahead," Nora drawled and walked forward, the others following slowly behind.

 **Confessional: Like sloths!**

 **Tristen: I don't hate Bruce per se. I just prefer everyone else over him. I'm sure Bruce himself is a great guy back at home, but he seems kind of harsh here on the island. Maybe we should cut him sooner than later? Might make him realize that he's kind of a jerk.**

 **Bruce: Why do people take me so lightly? I'm a good guy! I'm trying to stop the conflict from causing too many problems! Is that wrong now a days? No!**

 **Kellie: Seems like me having a temper gets these guys moving. Maybe being angry all the time isn't a complete curse. Still, it'd be nice to be able to have a calm convo with someone every once in a while.**

 **Gracie: I don't know about you, but when Kellie yells, she's very convincing. It's like, if we don't listen to every word she says, she'll stuff us in a pot and cook us alive! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE LIKE THAT! And I thought Roxanne's deaths were morbid.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer was again ahead of the group, a huge smile on his face. He was as happy as could be as his team raced for the next geyser. "THIS IS AWESOME! THE TEAM IS ALL TOGETHER ROCKING A CHALLENGE! WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT!?"

"Not talking so loud might reduce the headaches in the area," Kellie muttered. "I hate headaches. They tick me off so much."

Boomer cocked his head. "DOESN'T EVERYTHING TICK YOU OFF?" he asked.

She glared at him for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, pretty much," she sighed. "Not like I can control how I feel, right? I just feel that rage boiling inside of me and I can't do anything about it."

Boomer offered her a smile. "YOU KNOW, YOU AREN'T THAT BAD A GIRL!" he said. "SURE, YOUR ANGRY AND TAKE IT OUT ON THE REST OF THE TEAM, BUT I STILL THINK DEEP DOWN YOUR MORE THAN JUST A GIRL WITH ANGER ISSUES!"

Kellie stayed silent for a moment. "HOW THE #$% DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM?!" she snapped at his face. Boomer continued to smile at her as they walked, the anger slowly draining from Kellie's face. "Whoa…" she said.

"ANGER'S KIND OF IN THE HEAD! WE ALL FEEL IT SOMETIMES, BUT WE HAVE TO CALM DOWN AND REMEMBER WHO WE WANT TO BE," Boomer said. "I UNDERSTAND THAT ANGER IS WITHIN YOU, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET IT BE YOUR DEFINING TRAIT!"

Kellie stared at Boomer for a moment before nodding. They walked the rest of the distance in silence, Kellie deep in thought.

 **Confessional: Wood is my defining trait.**

 **Boomer: KELLIE SEEMED A LITTLE DOWN! I'M THE HAPPY GUY, SO I FIGURED I COULD HELP HER OUT! I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WANNA BE FRIENDS DO, RIGHT?!**

 **Kellie:** (Looks calmer, but deep in thought.) **Who the #$% is this guy? I thought he was just loud and a hugger… but whoa, he actually got me to calm down. What the #$%?**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Sherry was skipping toward the next geyser ahead of most of the others, twitching her head every so often. She made sure to yell, "Mushrooms," every few seconds just for kicks. If this was her last day being illogical, then she was going to make the most of it.

"Hi new friend!" came an excited voice. Sherry stole a glance to see it was Angelina with a smile on her face. Sherry smiled at her as well, hiding a blush. "What are you up to all alone up here?"

Sherry shrugged. "Dead monkeys and smelly toilets," she said simply.

Angelina's smile grinned. "Good! I thought for a moment you thinking about something overrated like boys. Not that I _don't_ think about boys. But I think about girls too!"

Sherry blushed again. "Hockey isn't a popcorn's yak milk," she said.

"Oh, I totally agree! Boys are ok, and I like this one in particular, but girls are just as great as they are!" Angelina said. "I never really saw the point in picking a gender to be attracted too. They're both amazing, so why not love them both equally?"

Sherry was now completely gushing, but Angelina failed to notice. To get her distracted, Sherry said, "Turnips don't skate good under grass stains."

Angelina gasped. "OMG! You're so totally right! Don't worry turnips, I'll make sure you skate straight! I WON'T FAIL!" Angelina charged ahead, making Sherry giggle a little.

 **Confessional: You will fail since ice skating isn't on this island.**

 **Angelina: I quite enjoyed that conversation. Always good to tell people that it's ok to love anyone you chose to love. I love everyone I can! Even though mom and dad… Christmas cake tastes good in the summer! You guys ever notice that? Yum!**

 **Sherry:** (Blushing like a crazy women.) **That was by far the most awkward conversation I've ever had… but is it wronged I loved every moment of it?**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The third geyser was in the Valiant Volcano's reach. The group of six went to the area and stood there. The geyser took a minute before exploding, sending the water over to the bucket that Jeremy had set down. After a while, the bucket was filled and Boomer stepped off to go retrieve it.

"We're doing quite well," Kellie nodded. "I'm not feeling very angry right now, so that must mean we aren't going to lose."

"Cool!" Roxanne said with a smile. "Let's celebrate by burning you alive!"

Kellie kept a calm expression on her face. For less than a second, anyway. "WHAT THE #$% IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" she exploded.

"It means that you'd be a fun person to burn alive! Think of all the angry screams I'd hear! I'm turned on just thinking about it!" she giggled. Kellie's face turned to that of mortified.

"YOU'RE #$% OUT OF YOUR MIND! WHAT THE #$%?!" she yelled.

"And somehow Tara got out before she did," Jeremy muttered from the back of the group.

 **Confessional: At least you're still in the game.**

 **Roxanne:** (Hums the tune of Burn, Burn.) **Maybe I should tie one of my fellow teammates to a stick and slow roast them over a fire. They'll scream in pain as they are slowly cooked. This is just sounding way too good to be true!**

 **Jeremy: You know, looking over my teammates, Kellie would have probably been the first boot had Roxanne not been on our team. She's full of anger, and yet she's more tolerable than a few of the other contestants. Weird how that ends up working, isn't it?"**

 **Kellie: I find it funny that I just blew up in Roxanne's face, and yet I have nothing to say here. Weird.** (Looks at the camera.) **WHO THE #$% ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The third geyser was in their sights as they approached. Very quickly, Angelina skipped over to the geyser and set down her bucket. After that, she literally just stood there, staring at the geyser. The others waited for several seconds before they realized Angelina wasn't going to move.

"Angelina! We need to get a move on!" Bruce yelled.

"But I want to get wet!" Angelina said. Bruce facepalmed at her stupidity. Tristen and Sherry winced at this and looked at Angelina.

"You might want to come over here," Tristen called. "You might… catch a cold over there."

"Hedgehogs don't wear bras!" Sherry agreed.

Angelina gasped in horror and ran over to the others. As soon as she entered the area, the geyser burst. The bucket filled while Angelina pouted. "Aw, I wanted to get wet!" she said, pouting.

"Next time. Go get the bucket so we can win this challenge," Bruce said through gritted teeth. Angelina saluted and ran down to grab the bucket. Bruce sighed, shaking his head, making Tristen and Sherry glance at each other in worry.

 **Confessional: How do you catch a cold on an island of fire?**

 **Tristen: I don't think Bruce is a very big fan of Angelina. He's kind of harsh to her, harsher than he needs to be. Sure, she can be a free spirit, but that's no reason to get mad. Maybe if we lose, I can convince him to vote someone else.**

 **Bruce: Angelina is by far a complete nuisance. All this unneeded conflict brewing up in her… she needs to go ASAP. Good thing I have half the votes, huh? She'll be gone at my say so.**

 **Angelina: Bubbles are cute. Have any of you at home had a pet bubble? They're like companions for life! So cute, so adorable, so irreplaceable. I don't think I would rather have a different pet than that of a bubble.**

Over at the starting area, Topher was nodding at himself. He had set up a pretty good challenge. Not only were all the contestants competing, but he had to send Amy off to edit the footage. Nothing could possibly make this moment any better.

"Hey Topher," Sammy said, walking toward him.

Check that. It just got better.

"Oh, hey Sammy," Topher said with a smile. "How are you doing today?"

Sammy shrugged with a small smile. "It's better than most mornings at home," she said, rubbing her arm. "You doing ok? As host, I mean?"

"Well, it's not as exciting as I thought it'd be, but hey, you can't have anything," he shrugged. "I guess this is why Chris wanted to pass down the torch. It's not all bad. I mean, Chris met my one demand for me to do the job, so I'm content."

Sammy nodded and fell silent for a moment. Before she could ask him what he meant, both teams arrived back at the start at the exact same time. They looked at each other in disbelief.

"How are we getting here at the same time?" Randall asked.

"Science," Nora said. "We're both running a somewhat far distance. As Angelina is slowing us down at some stops, you have the ability to catch up to us."

"Oh. Well that makes sense," Randall said with a nod.

"You guys are half way there," Topher nodded. "Keep going! Immunity's at stake!" This motivated the teams and they ran off to finish the last three buckets. Topher turned to Sammy with a smile. "Were you going to ask me something?" he asked.

"Oh, um… no," Sammy said, blushing.

 **Confessional: Can I have a raise?**

 **Topher: I wonder what Sammy was going to ask me. Yeah, I know she was going to ask me something. It was so obvious! But hey, if she changed her mind, ok. It's her question, so it's her choice on whether to ask it or not.**

 **Sammy:** (Looks in thought.) **Could I have been his demand? No… I couldn't be. Amy's prettier. He asked for her. I'm just baggage. He's only talking to me out of pity…**

 **Nora: I'm interrupting an obvious scene that was supposed to foreshadow plots to come in the future.** (Sits there a moment.) **Not all my predictions have to be fact based.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

"HEY GUYS! I THINK THE LYING LAVA PASSED US!" Boomer said, pointing to the other team running pass them. "SHOULDN'T WE BE RUNNING FASTER?"

"Nope, because that's where my strategy comes in," Jeremy smirked. "You see, we hit the farther volcanos _first_ , to reduce the distance for us to run _later_. The other team still has to run farther and farther than we do as they hit more geysers. We only have to run a little distance."

It took a moment for Boomer to digest that information. "OH! SO WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE LEAD RIGHT NOW!" Boomer said giddily.

"Exactly," Jeremy said with a nod. "The thing is, I think it'll still be a close call. We've been meeting up at the starting line at the exact same time for the pass two rounds. Knowing them, they may catch up for the next two. We still have to give it our all."

"I could always skin them alive to slow them down," Roxanne offered. "I'm _aching_ for a good skinning!"

"Er… save that for later Roxanne," Jeremy said uneasily.

"Ok! I'll get my skinning tools ready1" she said, clapping her hands in excitement. Boomer and Jeremy looked at each other in fear.

"WE'RE STILL VOTING FOR HER, RIGHT?" Boomer asked.

"Yes. Even if one of these people turn out to be a greater villain, we are voting out Roxanne. I don't care if one of us is brutally injured, we are voting out Roxanne. I don't think I can be any clearer about the fact that we are voting for Roxanne," Jeremy said.

 **Confessional: So we're voting for Boomer next?**

 **Jeremy: For some reason, I don't think my message got through to someone. Audience, I'm going to be slow and clear. Next time my team loses, I am voting for Roxanne. You got that? I am voting for Roxanne the next time I lose.**

 **Boomer: I'M PRETTY SURE JEREMY SAID WE'RE VOTING FOR ROXANNE! I CAN'T BE TOO SURE BECAUSE HIS LIPS WERE KIND OF HARD TO READ, BUT I'M 95% SURE WE'RE VOTING ROXANNE! THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST TIME, SO I'LL STICK WITH MY GUT!**

 **Roxanne: Do you think those guys would vote for me?** (Thinks about it before giving the camera an innocent smile.) **No, I don't think so! They want to be castrated and slowly removed of all movable joints!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Bernard moaned in pain as he continued forward, far behind the rest of his team. His hands were red with scratch marks, given he had been scratching his hands in pain. "I need _ass_!" he moaned.

"You have problems. You know that right?" Tristen said, holding back so Bernard wouldn't be alone.

Bernard's eyebrow twitched. "I don't have problems!" he hissed. "No rumor will tear me down! Everything I do is completely legal! If anyone has problems, it's _you_!"

Tristen raised his own eyebrows. "You grope women without their consent and steal people's wallets. What could I possibly be doing that's worse than that?" he asked.

"You're using Angelina for your own personal use," he spat. "I know she's more than just an ally for you. You're going to take advantage of her, aren't ya? I know you better than anyone, because I have the exact same mindset you do!"

Bernard's face seemed to get more and more demented, freaking Tristen out a little bit. "Um… I'm not 'using' Angelina," he said. "I generally like her as a person. Sure, she's cute and all, but I like her more than just her body."

" _Lies!"_ Bernard hissed. "We both know the truth. And I just want to know one thing." He suddenly dropped to his knees and pressed his hands together. "PLEASE LET ME GROPE HER ASS!"

Tristen made a disgusted face. "She's not 'mine' to give you," he said. "And I find it sick that you think you can just think men own women's bodies. Seriously, major issues in your head right now."

As Tristen walked faster, Bernard's face turned red with anger. "I. Don't. Have. ISSUES!" he roared.

 **Confessional: Then what** _ **do**_ **you have?**

 **Tristen: The sad part about all of this is the fact that we're** _ **supposed**_ **to be allies. Did he forget our promise pact? Don't pick on Angelina, I'd vote his way. Nope, guess he threw that option out the window. I guess I still have my pact with Bruce, so there's always that.**

 **Bernard: Who the #$% does Tristen think he is? You know what? I'm going to keep him around. Screw my original plan. I'm going to keep Tristen just long enough for him to witness me beat his girlfriend into submission. Sick #$% thinks I have issues…** _ **he'll**_ **have issues when I'm done with that girl…**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The next geyser was in the Valiant Volcano's sights. Roxanne set the bucket down with an evil smile. "Let's watch them drown to death," she giggled and walked over to where the rest of her team was. They waited a moment before the geyser exploded.

"You have to admit, this is quite a sight," Gracie said, admiring the view of the exploding geyser.

"It is," Jeremy agreed, smiling at Gracie. "I can see another one on this island right now." Gracie blushed at the compliment she was given. Someone next to them groaned.

"NO #$% LOVE ON THIS TEAM?! YOU GOT IT YOU #$% #$%?!" Kellie roared in anger.

"You mean I can rip out your guys' teeth one by one because I love the screams you make?" Roxanne pouted. "You guys are no fun!" Roxanne jumped off the area to get the next bucket.

Kellie looked at the other two. "She #$% freaks me the #$% out," Kellie muttered. "Can I join your sick romantical alliance to vote her off? Just this #$% once?"

Gracie and Jeremy both blushed. "Sure… but we aren't a thing," Jeremy said.

Kellie shrugged. "Screw that. We all know it will happen eventually," Kellie muttered and walked off, leaving the other two blushing like cherries.

 **Confessional: Can cherries blush?**

 **Gracie:** (Still blushing.) **Jeremy and I aren't dating! We aren't! He's hot and his voice is amazing and he can get me to calm down when I'm upset… shut up fanbase!**

 **Jeremy: I mean… ok, Gracie is someone I** _ **would**_ **date… not saying I never will date her… I mean… Kellie, don't go confusing me about my feelings!**

 **Kellie:** (Looks at the camera.) **THEY BETTER GET TOGETHER OR I'M GOING TO #$% LOSE IT! I SHIP IT #$%IT!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava reached their fourth bucket. Sherry had set her bucket down and went over to the others. The geyser, like all the others, went off the moment she touched foot in the area. Once the bucket was full, Sherry went off to grab it.

"Anyone else wonder why the geysers go off only when we stand here?" Bruce asked.

"Pressure," Nora said. "The water must be built up, but has a specific pressure point in order to release it's built up supply. Otherwise, I do not believe that these geysers would explode."

"That leads me to another question," Tristen said. "How come the geysers only go off when all of us are standing in the specific area? Is the pressure measured to our exact weight?"

"Probably not," Nora said. "I believe Topher approximated our weight and to the weight the geysers took to explode. It was all about guessing. He guessed correctly, therefore, we have a challenge that is logically sound."

"Screw that! I want a challenge where we get to screw hot babes! Fire island=hotness, which must mean hot babes!" Bernard said, a crazy look in his eye.

There was silence from the other contestants. "Yeah, there's totally going to be a hot babe challenge," Bruce said sarcastically. "That logic is so sound, the entire world can hear it."

Bernard puffed up with pride. "Why, thank you. About time you guys see I'm much smarter than all of you," he said and walked off. Bruce face palmed, but reluctantly followed his lead.

 **Confessional: I don't think Bruce was being serious.**

 **Bernard: This team finally starts recognizing who the real genius is behind this team. I guess I don't blame them. Bruce and Nora** _ **seem**_ **like they know everything, but they really have nothing against all of this.** (He gestures to the entirety of himself.) **Now then, Topher, about those hot glorious uncovered boobs…** (Rest of Confessional is cut for Topher not wanting to hear about crap Bernard obviously wasn't going to get.)

 **Nora: Science truly is an amazing, as it leads to how I can interpret others. Without science, observation wouldn't be as big a thing as it is. Despite what Redrick says, I believe that me being able to observe things is more science based than instinct based. Though…** _ **now**_ **it's more instinct.**

Both teams, yet again, reached the starting point at the same time. They set their buckets down and just glared at each other for a second. Finally, Boomer said, "IS IT JUST ME, OR ARE THESE MEETINGS COMPLETELY UTTERLY AWKWARD?"

"I think they relieve the tension!" Angelina said happily. "Not the sexual tension, of course. Hey, random question, are there any ships going around on that team of yours?"

"I totally ship Gracie and Jeremy," Kellie muttered, gesturing to the two, who were blushing furiously. "IT BETTER #$% HAPPEN #$%IT!"

"Cool!" Angelina said with a happy grin. "I think Bruce and Nora are a thing too! They may seem like they hate each other, but it's all just a cover up for their love for each other!"

Bruce and Nora looked at each other. "No," they both said flatly.

"See! They speak in harmony! They're totally match made in heaven!" Angelina giggled.

"HAVE FUN WITH THAT! I HOPE YOU DON'T LOSE!" Boomer said, waving as he and his team started to run.

"I hope they do," Randall muttered to himself.

 **Confessional: Hey, when the tension is high, ship!**

 **Boomer: I ALSO SHIP ROXANNE AND RANDALL, BUT I'M NOT REALLY TO CLOSE TO THEM! PLUS, THEY BOTH KIND OF SEND THE WRONG KIND OF SIGNALS TO ME, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING! OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OTHER SHIPS!**

 **Bruce: Before the internet gets any ideas… no. Just #$% no.**

 **Tristen: You know, the internet is probably going to be shipping Bruce and Nora like crazy. I find it kind of funny because they obviously don't have any type of feelings toward each other in the slightest. Way to go Angelina, you totally started a thing that will tick them off for episodes to come. I find it quite hilarious.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

As the rest of the contestants ran ahead, Roxanne stayed behind by herself. She was currently thinking to herself with an evil grin on her face. "So Boomer should be decapitated slowly, with his head slowly being detached from his body so he can scream for as long as possible," she said to herself. "Kellie should be stabbed to death repeatedly, so she can rage about her organs being pierced!"

"What are you talking about?" Jeremy asked, hanging back.

"Oh, you know, just how I'm going to kill each and every one of you," Roxanne said with a shrug. "Did you need to talk about something?"

Jeremy visibly shuddered, but kept his nerve. "I was just wondering if you could possibly dial back on the creepiness level. You really terrified Gracie this morning, and I don't really appreciate it."

Roxanne pouted. "I'm just saying that because she voted off Tara, she deserved to take her place as my voodoo doll," she said. "I want to see if someone goes blind it I stab needles in Gracie's eye sockets!"

Very suddenly, without warning, Jeremy grabbed Roxanne's wrist. Hard. He squeezed with all his might and bore his eyes into Roxanne's soul. "Don't _ever_ threaten Gracie like that again. _Ever,"_ he hissed. He let go and angrily walked faster.

Roxanne was left alone, looking after Jeremy. However, instead of being annoyed or angry, she simply smiled. "I think he wants to go before her!" she said. "Ok! Maybe I can get him to drown to death!"

 **Confessional: Again, fire season, not water season.**

 **Roxanne: I've never had someone die for love before! Should I make his death special? Hmm… nah! I'll just shove him inside a geyser and watch his body fly! So exciting!**

 **Jeremy:** (Looks a tad concerned.) **I don't typically lose my temper like that. I wonder what came over me enough to treat Roxanne so roughly. I get that maybe she went a little overboard with insulting Gracie, and I admit I don't take well to my friends just being insulted in front of my face. Still, I'm shocked I went that fat, to say the least.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Sherry was bouncing in the middle of the group, simply trying to remain goofy, but also to think to herself. She wanted things to go smoothly when she revealed she was actually quite intelligent, so she was trying to think of a way to successfully do it. As she was thinking, Tristen approached her.

"Hey Sherry, how are you holding up?" he asked.

"As much as a tomato hates the aftershave!" she said with a smile.

Tristen chuckled. "I can most definitely see why you and Angelina are friends," he said. "All the randomness… I might have to go find a cage just to hold you two in!" He laughed at his own joke to show Sherry he was only joking, but he found that the girl had deflated. "Hey, I was only joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said.

Sherry looked up at Tristen for a moment before sighing. "Actually… I'm not that hyper. Or random. Or anything," she said. "I'm just a teenage girl who wanted a funny gimmick. But, see… I don't want to lie, especially since I kind of like Angelina. I want our friendship to be based off truth. I'm… sorry that I deceived you."

Tristen blinked in surprise for a moment before smiling. "Hey, we all have pleasures in some things, right?" he said. "It was no trouble really. Glad to know there's someone logical under that random exterior of yours."

Sherry offered Tristen a smile before it faded. "Do you mind… not telling anyone for the rest of today?" Sherry asked. "I kind of want today to be the last send off for that gimmick, if you don't mind."

Tristen nodded and did a fake salute. "Sure thing," he said. "Any friend Angelina respects is a friend I shall respect." Sherry smiled at him gratefully and the two contestants went back to walking.

 **Confessional: Respect the aspect!**

 **Sherry: Well, telling Tristen was easier than I thought. Then again, he is a pretty understanding guy as it is, so it isn't a complete shock to me. Now, I just have to tell Angelina. Geez, I have absolutely no clue why I'm so nervous about this… weird.**

 **Tristen: I didn't really expect this to happen… but when you're friends with Angelina, I guess you have to learn to expect the unexpected at all times. At least now I can talk to Sherry and know what she's saying the entire time. I just hope that Sherry's true self doesn't make Angelina want to end their friendship. I doubt it will, knowing her.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

"ALRIGHT GUYS! I'LL GO PUT THE BUCKET BY THE GEYSER! BE RIGHT BACK!" Boomer yelled as he ran to the geyser. The rest of the team shrugged and stood on the area. However, they noticed that the ground started to shake.

"Huh. This geyser must be different than the others," Jeremy noted. "Hey Boomer! Come back! The geyser's faulty!"

However, Boomer didn't seem to listen and continued to run toward the geyser. The water was filling up the intial hole, and some of the contestants began to worry. "Boomer! The geyser's about to explode!" Gracie called to him. Boomer kept running, getting dangerously close.

"BOOMER! QUIT RUNNING YOU #$% IDIOT!" Kellie screamed. _This_ got Boomer to stop and turn around in confusion. Right then, the geyser burst. Boomer looked up in fear, set the bucket down, and ran before any harmful water could touch him.

"WHOA! THAT WAS CLOSE!" he said. "THANKS FOR WARNING ME KELLIE! I COULD HAVE DIED!"

"Darn shame he didn't," Roxanne muttered. Kellie ignored her and glared at Boomer angrily. Gracie and Jeremy backed away slowly as they knew she was about to explode.

"WHY THE #$% DIDN'T YOU RESPOND WHEN THEY CALLED?!" she yelled, pointing her fingers at his friends. "THEY YELLED TWICE, BUT YOU DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THEY CALLED FOR YOU! WHAT THE #$% WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!"

Boomer shifted nervously. "UM, WELL… I DIDN'T HEAR THEM! THEY MUST HAVE NOT CALLED LOUD ENOUGH!" he said, nodding vigorously.

"Bull #$%," Kellie muttered. "I'm getting the #$% bucket, you #$%." Kellie walked off, leaving the rest of the team in silence.

 **Confessional: Why does it have to be bulls? Why not sheep?**

 **Kellie: Boomer's full of #$% and he knows it. He could just be #$% honest and tell us why he didn't listen. Does he have a #$% death wish or something. HE BETTER NOT BECAUSE A GUY LIKE HIM SHOULDN'T DIE THIS EARLY IN HIS LIFE! THE WORLD DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE LIKE HIM AS IT IS! WE DON'T NEED LESS BOOMER'S IN THE WORLD!**

 **Boomer: PHEW, THAT WAS CLOSE! I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO PITY ME, SO IT WAS A GOOD THING THEY FELL FOR THAT! I HATE LYING, TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME WITH PITY! I WANT TO DO IT USING MY OWN STRENGTHS!**

 **Jeremy: Does Boomer think we fell for that? Seriously, did he? If so, he's sorely mistaken, because I know that was a fake excuse. We weren't that far away and we yelled pretty loud. How come he didn't hear us?**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had reached the second to last geyser. After Nora dropped off the bucket, they stood on the area until it was full. Nora ran off to grab it, to which Tristen nodded to. "I see we're saving the adrenaline junkie for last," he said. "Seeing the other team is ahead, good call."

"How _did_ they get ahead of us?" Bruce grumbled. "I just don't get it. We're doing everything right! How come they keep slipping ahead?"

"I just think they have a strategy we didn't think of," Tristen shrugged. "It just how the game is played. I play it physically, they seem to play it strategically."

"Pfft, physical strength can only get you so far," Bruce grumbled. "Strategy is where it is. You have to strategically end the conflict before it starts. It's just that simple."

Tristen shrugged. "You could look at it like that," Tristen said. "But you could also look at physical strength as a way of preventing conflict. If you win challenges, then there's no way you end up voting people off. Wouldn't you rather keep everyone happy then make some people mad in who you vote off?"

Bruce took that in before nodding. "I can actually see the logic in that," he said. "I guess both ways work, in a sense. Still, I'm voting for a nuisance if we lose, since strategy is my area of expertise."

Tristen shrugged. "I guess we all specialize in different areas," Tristen said simply.

 **Confessional: I specialize in being something to confess in!**

 **Bruce: Tristen appears to be an opponent who's more strategic than he knows. He's someone I actually enjoy talking to. It's a good thing we're allies, otherwise I'd vote him off right now. Then again, it's not like he's causing any problems, so he'd be safe regardless.**

 **Tristen: When Bruce isn't constantly obsessing with ending conflict, he's actually a pretty decent guy to talk to. Maybe once we've calmed him down and show him that there is no possible conflict on the team, then he can be a pleasant fellow all the time.**

At the starting line, yet again, both team arrived at the same time. " #$% on a cracker during a Christmas barmistfa!" Sherry exclaimed.

"WHAT THE #$% WHAT THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Kellie roared.

"I think she's just shocked we keep arriving at the exact same time," Randall said. "I mean, I'd want to kill- I mean, I'd be shocked to if it weren't for the fact we have the lead."

Gracie nodded. "Randall's right. They don't know we secretly have the lead," she said. "Let's just go and worry about them later." The team nodded in agreement and rushed off to their final geyser.

"I think those guys are up to something," Bernard moaned. "I just want me some boobs! Can I go chase down that angry girl? I know she'd punch me in the face, but I need boobs!"

Angelina looked concerned. "If you need boob fuel, you can have mine," she said. Bernard's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he ran over to group her boobs. However, before he could reach her, she jumped in the air, twirled, jumped on his head, which sent him to the ground, and landed behind him with a smile.

"Should have known that was way too good to be true," Bernard moaned.

 **Confessional: You really think people are into just letting you have their way with them?**

 **Randall: Of course, if things were easier I'd throw the challenge so we** _ **didn't**_ **have the lead so I could vote someone off. But, clearly, I don't have enough allies. I can't keep Roxanne around if I don't have people want to vote for someone who isn't my number one ally. Kellie is probably my best bet right now, since she's kind of the swing vote… Gracie would work too though. She seems easier to convince than Jeremy and Boomer do, anyway.**

 **Angelina: My mom always taught me no one should play with my boobs, not even me. And that's ok, I'm saving myself for that boy or girl who I truly love to play with these babies!** (Shakes her boobs around a little.)

 **Tristen: Yeah, I just go with it. With a team like mine, who needs sane people?**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Nora was running in the middle of the group. She continued to run, but also managed to ponder something significant at the same time. After a few moments, she said, "We're going to lose."

"Why to maintain a positive outlook on things," Bruce muttered.

"No, I know we're going to lose," Nora said. "I did all the calculating just now. The other team is going from farthest geyser to least farthest geyser. By my calculations, there is no way we'll be able to arrive with the last bucket of water before they do."

Bruce scoffed. "You really think we'd believe something as ridiculous as that?" Bruce said.

"Um… actually Bruce, that makes a lot of sense," Tristen said. "If they have to run a shorter distance than we do, we literally don't stand a chance unless we pick up the pace."

Bruce sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Fine, whatever," he muttered. "Nora, is there _any_ way we could win this challenge? I really don't see how you can see the future, but if there's any possible chance, let us know."

"I can't see the future, dumb #$%," Nora muttered. "I _can_ predict outcomes. If we reach the geyser in the next three minutes and have Tristen run ahead of us, we have a slight chance of beating the other team. _Slight_ mind you."

" #$%, at this point, we'll take it," Bruce muttered.

 **Confessional: I have many points, for I am a prism!**

 **Nora: Slight as in .000000001%. I figured I'd leave that part out, since Bruce is a complete idiot and would probably explode his guts all over the table and vote for me. I'm smarter than he thinks I am.**

 **Bruce: Seriously, if Nora's right about this, I'm going to punch myself in the gut. Half of me wants to lose to vote her out, but the other half is telling me that by doing that, it just makes Nora look good. Looks like Nora's safe, no matter if we win or lose.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The Valiant Volcanos had made it to their last geyser. "I'm going to run this over," Jeremy said, holding up the bucket. He ran over to the geyser and set the bucket down. However, before he could turn around, someone crashed into him, sending him tumbling forward.

"Whoa!" Jeremy shouted, only just barely managing to catch himself before he fell into the hole that was the geyser. He slowly backed away and turned around. "What was that?!"

"Aw! I wanted to see you drown! Or burn to death, whichever came first," Roxanne pouted. Jeremy muttered something that should never be uttered on Television and grabbed Roxanne by the arms. He dragged her to the rest of the group, making the geyser explode.

"THAT… WAS INTENSE!" Boomer shouted.

"Next time… tie Roxanne to a leash so she doesn't kill me. I prefer to be not dead," Jeremy muttered. Once the bucket was full, Jeremy ran to grab the bucket. "I'm running this to the starting point, catch up!"

 **Confessional: Almost dying, a Total Drama staple!**

 **Roxanne: This show has a real big lack of murder. Jeremy and Tara both escaped my murder attempts. Seriously, people should die more often on this show. It keeps me sane.** (She giggled.)

 **Jeremy: Ok, so if we lose, and unfortunetly, I doubt we will, Roxanne is going. I don't care if someone comes up to me and gives me a really good argument to vote for someone else. Roxanne almost killed me! I think that stands to reason to vote her off.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had reached their last geyser. Quickly, Tristen dropped the bucket and ran to the pressure area. The geyser exploded long enough to fill the bucket. Once full, Tristen ran, grabbed the bucket, and took off toward the start.

"Yep, we're doomed!" Angelina said happily.

"And why are you so happy about that? There's nothing to be happy about right now! My hands ache with the pain of not touching boobs!" Bernard moaned.

"I'm happy because if we lose, we can eliminate someone we don't like!" she said. "But Mr. Boss should get us all through to tomorrow! Right Spruce?!"

Bruce scowled. "My name is Bruce. I'm not a tree," he muttered.

"My bad! Hehehe!" Angelina giggled.

 _She's so gone if we lose this today,_ Bruce thought to himself.

 **Confessional: I can't go anywhere!**

 **Angelina: I wonder why Bruce and Bernard are such downers. Were they not held enough as children? Aw, that's so sad! Maybe I can hold them like babies! That'll cheer them up!**

 **Bernard:** (His eye is twitching.) **Ok, so here's the plan! We lose the challenge, I vote off a girl, and before she leaves, I'll jump on her and grope her boobs! There's no way in #$% I can fail this plan! NO WAY!**

Topher looked out in the horizon and smirked as he saw Jeremy and Tristen running toward him. "It's neck and neck! One team is going to win! The other is going to lose! The suspense is real!" he yelled.

"I'm not losing this," Tristen huffed.

"Yes, you really are," Jeremy smirked.

Both boys bolted as fast as they could to the end. However, one boy reached Topher slightly before the other. "That's it! The challenge is over!" Topher said. "The winning team that is safe from elimination is none other than…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

The Valiant Volcanos!"

"Yes!" Jeremy said, sighing happily. Then, his face turned sour. "Oh… no voting off Roxanne. #$%it."

"I'll totally trade you rankings," Tristen muttered.

Jeremy thought about it for a moment. "Eh, winning's better for me on this team," Jeremy shrugged.

The other two teams returned, the Lying Lava groaning in defeat. "Well, it seems like the Lying Lava won't be having a winning streak any time soon," Topher said. "You guys will have to vote someone out tonight. Valiant Volcanos, enjoy immunity… for now. Food will be delivered after elimination."

 **Confessional: Who's going to go?**

 **Randall: Good, I need this time to plan my next move. Jeremy is obviously now a challenge threat as well as a strategic threat. He needs to go** _ **now**_ **. But, since I don't have the votes, immunity is** _ **needed**_ **right now. The more times we win, the less I need to worry about getting rid of Jeremy.**

 **Boomer: YEAH! WE WON! I GUESS THAT MEANS WE CAN'T VOTE OFF ROXANNE, WHICH IS A BUMMER, BUT NOW I HAVE MORE TIME TO TALK TO KELLIE! YAY!**

 **Tristen: #$%, I blew it. Oh well, I have an alliance plus Angelina. I'm in no way worried at all by this situation. From the problems he's caused, I think Bernard will be the target.**

 **Nora: This vote will be intense. I'm not worried. Why? I'm up against Bruce.**

 **(Lying Lava Area)**

"Alright, listen up!" Bruce said. Sherry and Tristen stood in front of him. "We need to get rid of someone who's been causing problems. Obviously, that leaves open just one option, since they've been causing so much problems."

"You mean Bernard?" Tristen asked. "Despite what he says, that dude has issues."

"Eh, he's next on the list," Bruce shrugged. "No… I was thinking Angelina. She's been fraternizing with the other team, plus, she seems like she _wants_ to throw challenges. That's a no-no. I say we get rid of her now before she causes any more problems."

Sherry gasped. "Haystacks?!" she cried.

"Sherry's right," Tristen said. "Angelina adds a moral boost to the team. We can't just get rid of her right now. We have too many somewhat negative players. We need someone negative to go so our team can be positive."

Bruce scoffed. "No way," Bruce said. "This team isn't negative in the slightest. Besides, no one else is causing any massive issues. We're voting for Angelina, and that is final," he said, walking off. Sherry and Tristen looked at each other in fear.

" #$%," Sherry said.

"For once, your illogic makes sense," Tristen said.

 **Confessional: That's how the author is every day.**

 **Bruce: You know, I think this elimination will go smoothly. Angelina will go home and then I can focus on destroying Nora's alliance with Bernard. All things considered, I'm in a pretty solid place right now. That what I get for not getting involved in issues.**

 **Sherry:** (Looks upset.) **Angelina's… going to go tonight? But… she's the only one I'd call my friend… no. You know what? No. You know what Bruce? You can go #$% #$% #$% #$% #$% #$% #$% #$% #$%! My shtick is illogic right? I'll show you how illogical I can be!**

Over a ways, Nora and Bernard were discussing the looming elimination. "So, here's what we do," Bernard said, a perverted look plastered on his face. "We'll vote out Sherry. Bruce is as annoying as #$% and Sherry's aligned with him. We weaken Bruce, and boom! We're in the clear!"

Nora looked at her alliance partner and nodded. "I see your reasoning," she said. "I also know you want to group Sherry's boobs when she's eliminated."

"It's not wrong! I don't have problems! Not me, nope!" he said, his eyes twitching.

Nora rolled her eyes. "If you win this game, and I'll be very surprised if you do, I hope you spend the money on therapy. Because you seriously need it with all the issues you have," Nora muttered and walked away.

Bernard's eyes filled with rage. "I DON'T HAVE ISSUES!" he roared.

 **Confessional: You don't?**

 **Nora: Most of the audience might be wondering why someone who can predict things team up with deadweight. Simple: the deadweight is the scapegoat. I know exactly how the eliminations on this team will go, and they have to be exact. Bernard's temporary. His perverted tendencies sicken me, especially…** (She tensed up.) **Redrick so no emotion. I can't express how I feel here.**

 **Bernard: I'm so smart, I'm surprised Nora doesn't want to get down and dirty with me yet. Don't worry, we have time Bernard Jr. Till then, Sherry's as good as mine!** (He chuckles hungrily.)

Angelina was bouncing around by herself, giggling. "Bruce is so funny," she said. "Maybe he likes apples? That'd make him the funniest person alive! Hehehehe!"

"You don't make a whole lot of sense," Tristen chuckled, walking up to Angelina. "But then again, Sherry makes less sense than you do. Plus, I know there's some method to you're madness. Somewhere, anyway."

"Hi Mr. Boss!" Angelina giggled. "You're so fun! Maybe we should dance around like monkeys in a barrel! Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Sure," Tristen chuckled. "But we need to focus on the elimination first. I didn't manage to win, but I do know who we're voting off."

"Ooo! Can it be me?" Angelina said excitedly.

Tristen rolled his eyes playfully. "No Angelina," Tristen said. "Voting you off wouldn't be good for you. You wouldn't have a chance to win. No… see, we need to vote off Bruce. He isn't being very reasonable and he wants to vote you off."

"Hey, that's what I said!" Angelina said with a pout. "No one steals my ideas! No one!"

"Sure, because that's the reason we're voting off Bruce," Tristen chuckled. "Good thing we're on the same page."

"Actually, on the author's Word Processor, we actually say our separate lines on different pages," Angelina pointed out.

Tristen stared at Angelina for a moment. "Yeah, you still don't make much sense to me," he said, smiling. "But that's ok, I can live with that.

 **Confessional: Is wood alive?**

 **Tristen: I find it funny. I'm a pretty down to Earth guy, and yet my best friend is random and doesn't make much sense. On the opposite end, the person I'm voting for is about as down to Earth as I am, and yet I can't stand him. Just something funny I noticed.**

 **Angelina:** (Looks up.) **Why are confessional's always made of wood? Why not nacho cheese? A nacho cheese confessional would not only keep me well fed, but it would be interesting to confess inside a container of nacho cheese, don't you think?**

 **(Volcano of Doom)**

The Lying Lava had gathered around the Volcano of Doom. They sat there for a few minutes until Sammy walked up to her podium. "So, um… you lost today," she said.

"Thanks for that Captain Obvious," Bernard muttered. "If you aren't here to let me grope your boobs, just get this #$% over with."

Sammy blushed in embarrassment. "Um… ok," she said. "Tristen, you, uh… almost won the challenge. Do you feel bad your team didn't accomplish a victory?"

"Well, we can't win them all," Tristen said. "I gave it my best, and I don't think my team judges me for failing. I'll just have to try again during the next challenge and bring in a win."

Sammy nodded with a small smile. "Ok. Um… Sherry, are dancing cattle not emotional?"

"Only when the knee slapping pig doesn't cry like an oyster," Sherry giggled.

"Uh… Nora, do you think you, um… know who's going home?" Sammy asked.

"Undoubtedly," Nora said. "I've examined each of our movements, and I know how each of us are going to vote. But, to give the audience suspense, I'm not going to reveal it here."

Sammy shrugged. "Ok… Angelina, you can, um… cast your vote first," she said. Angelina smiled happily and bounced off to cast her vote.

After Tristen had cast his vote, Sammy went to go tally them. When she was done, she came back with a trey of five slices of burnt bacon. "So… I have five slices of bacon. Six of you are sitting in front of me. The person I, uh… don't call will be eliminated and take the Eruption of Shame. And they can't come back… ever, I guess."

"We know the drill," Bruce muttered.

"Oh… ok," Sammy said. "The first person safe is… Tristen."

"Nora."

"Bernard."

"And Angelina."

Both Bruce and Sherry sat without a slice of bacon. Sherry looked calm while Bruce was confused. "What? But… I had _three_ votes on Angelina! She's the problem here, not me!" Bruce said.

"Sorry Bruce. But Angelina's a better person than you'll ever be," Sherry said. Everyone (minus Tristen) gaped at Sherry's statement. Sherry gave Angelina a sad look. "I meant to tell you that I wasn't all goofy… I'm sorry."

Angelina wasn't fazed too long though before she smiled. "Cool! I have a smart friend! That's even better than random Sherry!" Angelina smiled, making Sherry blush.

"Um… so the person safe from elimination," Sammy continued, "is none other than, um…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Bruce," Sammy said. Bruce sighed in relief and caught the remaining slice. Confused looks popped on everyone's faces.

"Hang on," Tristen said. "If me and Angelina voted for Bruce, and Bruce voted Angelina… then…"

"Yeah. I voted for myself," Sherry said with a sad smile. "I thought I'd do one last illogical thing while I was here." She looked over at Angelina. "And for you, it was worth it. Thanks for being my friend, even if it wasn't very long."

Angelina smiled and gave Sherry a hug. "I'll miss you, friend I didn't know you were," she said. Sherry smiled and sighed as she walked up the volcano and strapped herself in. Bernared snuck up after her, and reached to touch her boobs. However, Sherry promptly punched him in the face, making him tumble to the base of the volcano. Sammy walked up, looking at Bernard with pity.

"Sherry, you're, um… in twelfth place," Sammy said. Sherry nodded as Sammy jumped on the volcano hard. It erupted, sending Sherry flying away, giggling as she went. "So, um… I guess you're free to go until tomorrow," Sammy said.

 **Confessional: Tomorrow's another day!**

 **Nora: As I predicted using logic. Ironic how that turned out, but not really.**

 **Bruce:** (Looks ticked.) **Ok, what the #$% Tristen?! I'm your #$% ally! Why the #$% would you vote out the only person who #$% cares about your safety?! He better have a good reason for going against me, or he's dead!**

 **Angelina: … Do tacos taste like cream cheese? I don't think so, but someone I know thinks that's what they taste like. I just don't understand why.**

 **(Outro)**

Topher stood in front of his trailer with a smile. "So, Sherry fell due to her illogic shtick," Topher said. "What other terrible ideas will get these contestants eliminated? Will Bruce make a recovery plan? Will Tristen and Angelina bond further? Will Gracie be able to have a solid strategy? And will Roxanne successfully kill someone? Find out next time on Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **Voting Confessional: Role credits!**

 **Angelina: So, according to Mr. Boss, Bruce was stealing my original ideas. That is** _ **unacceptable!**_ **I'm original, not a thief! I think Bernard steals things, but not me, nope! So, I vote for Bruce!**

 **Bernard: I** _ **need**_ **some boob action! And I'll** _ **get**_ **boob action if it** _ **kills**_ **me! I vote for Sherry!**

 **Bruce: All cards are on the table. Angelina will fall and all conflict will cease to exist. This plan couldn't be fulfilled more perfectly. I vote for Angelina.**

 **Nora: One vote Angelina, two votes Bruce, three votes for poor Sherry. I call it now, and I stick by this hypothesis. I will be one of the three who vote for Sherry. Majority, and all.**

 **Sherry: I'm not letting Bruce take Angelina out of the game. She's the friend I didn't expect I'd have… so she's staying on this island. How do I know that? I'm voting for my safe, in the most illogical way possible. Bruce can suck on that, that #$%.**

 **Tristen: I'm sure this vote is going to be a mess, but all I can do is vote. So, I vote for Bruce, for trying to eliminate my number one ally. I can't have Angelina get out this early.**

Teams

Lying Lava: Angelina, Bernard, Bruce, Nora, Tristen

Valiant Volcanos: Boomer, Gracie, Jeremy, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne

Eliminated: Jackal, Tara, Sherry

 **BN: Wow, I didn't expect to get this far on this fic. I'm on a roll right now! This Ben is on fire! Good, considering this is a fire themed season. The last fourteen character fic I attempted was canceled right around here. Let's break that record, shall we? Here's the notes for the elimination.**

 **ELIMINATION: SHERRY**

 **I had a lot of routes for Sherry I could have had her possibly go down before I started writing this story. Suffice it to say… I literally went down none of them. Sherry was a character who, in hindsight, was a lot better in theory. I tried to portray how I act on a day to day basis. Yeah… that was a failure.**

 **However, Sherry's stay on the island went** _ **better**_ **than I could have hoped for. Her story, in my opinion, went smoothly and finished in the position I wanted it to finish. Several key points to this are:**

 **-Angelina. Sherry was originally in this to be silly and make no sense. However, by befriending Angelina, Sherry learned that she had made a friendship based on a lie and wanted to correct it. I felt like this was the best way.**

 **-I had three characters this season who were goofy, Angelina and Roxanne being the other two. Sherry had the least plot to offer out of all three, and fit better as an early boot.**

 **-The fact Sherry could have dominated the game had she not decided to act illogical. When she realized this, it was too late for her. Sherry fell doom to her own handicap.**

 **While a great character, I felt as though Sherry fit best as an early boot. Although, she went this early for reasons you don't know about just yet. Whether you adored her or despised her, Sherry places twelfth place.**

 **Next Time:** A bunch of random drama happens and Topher fears for his life. The challenge turns out to help Chris please Quiltal… by having the contestants sail down a lava river.


	8. E4 P1: Of Donkeys and Death

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Quital and the fourteen OCs that appear in this fic.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And done! Like I keep saying, first parts are easy for me. After two more chapters of this I'll get back to TDASB. Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the chapter! (Sorry I don't have much else to say, I normally try to make these longer.)**

Because water lakes are overrated.

E4 P1: Of Donkey's and Death

It was nighttime, and as the camera panned across the island, its fire glowed and illuminated the night. On this island was the host of Total Drama Fire Island, a charismatic smile on his face. "Welcome back to Total Drama Fire Island!" Topher said with a smile. "Last time, we had a bit of drama on both teams, but not nearly as much as we normally do."

"On the Lying Lava's side of things, Angelina and Sherry had a nice bonding experience over the daily song. Bruce and Nora continued their pointless pent up tension. Seriously, bang already! We can see it in the way you hate each other," Topher smirked. "Meanwhile, Bernard _needed_ a bang, but suffered the consequences of being forever single and Tristen… didn't really do _anything_. Seriously, he says he's an adrenaline junkie, but he doesn't do much to _prove_ it."

"With the Valiant Volcanos… Roxanne continued to try to kill everyone," Topher sighed. "Me included. Seriously, this girl has problems. Anyway, Gracie turned to Jeremy for advice and Jeremy swore to vote Roxanne off next. Randall, upon hearing this, went off on his own little rant to himself about how much of a hindrance Jeremy is. Boomer, meanwhile, tried to bond with Kellie, who was more focused on being angry at a wall who did nothing to her."

"The challenge," he continued, "was to use a bunch of geysers to get us staff some hot water. After the challenge I kind of questioned why we needed geysers to get the water when we could have easily hung a bucket of water over one of the many lava pools on this island, but I digress. After a close challenge, it was the Valiant Volcanos who won."

"The vote was pretty tight. Bruce, with his 'problem' strategy, voted for Angelina. Due to both Sherry and Tristen, both who Bruce thought was his allies, being friends with Angelina, they defied Bruce, Tristen voting Bruce himself, while Sherry voted herself. In the end, Nora and Bernard ended up deciding the loser, who so happened to be Sherry."

Topher flashed the camera a smile. "So, what will happen this time? Will Nora and Bruce take out their tension on each other? Will Angelina miss her friend, who she only really got to know yesterday? Can Randall use his 'sneakiness' to get himself and Roxanne out of this pickle? Will Kellie senselessly yell at something random? And who will be the fourth person voted off? Find out on Total Drama Fire Island!"

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Kellie was sitting in her room, along as always. She was currently looking up at the ceiling with a conflicted look on her face. " #$%! I probably #$% up," she grumbled. "I might have been too #$% bossy in the #$% challenge… #$%!"

"You sure do love that word," a giggle said. Kellie went from moderately annoyed to Hulk Smash in literally one second as she shot of her bed and glared angrily at Roxanne, who exited her secret room. "Too bad I find death and murder more fun than sex. Otherwise I would totally help you relieve your tension."

Kellie's eye twitched. " #$% #$%!" Kellie roared. "I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!"

"No thanks! I'm saving myself for 'the one', if you know what I'm saying," Roxanne giggled. "But… if you want me to boil your blood in a literal sense, all you have to do is ask!"

"NOT ON YOUR #$% LIFE!" Kellie screamed.

"Aw, too bad," Roxanne pouted. "I guess I'll have to do it when you're unconscious! But… you didn't hear it from me," Roxanne winked and cheerfully skipped off up the stairs.

Kellie stared after her full of anger. "I'm #$% straight too, #$% idiot," Kellie grunted.

 **Confessional: Do inanimate objects have genders?**

 **Roxanne: Kellie would look good on my murder wall. My ex is on their, along with my pet ferret, my goldfish, and my long lost uncle!** (Giggles.) **I may or may not be the reason he's 'long lost'. Anyway, I wonder how I should kill her… slicing off the boobs maybe and have her bleed out? I haven't done that since my sister!**

 **Kellie: What is that #$% problem?! Who ticked her off so much that she goes around talking about murder willy nilly? I mean, I can't say I'm one to talk… but what the #$%** _ **raised**_ **this #$% girl?! Not a #$% human, because that's #$% twisted!**

Randall was, again, outside resting against a rock. He was looking up at the stars with a neutral expression on his face. He sighed as he stared upward. "Life in this game is rough. Who knew helping villains would take a lot out of me?" Randall said to himself. Then, he smirked. "This is the best thing I've done in my whole life!"

"HI RANDALL!" came a loud voice. Randall lifted his head to see Boomer was approaching him. "WHY ARE YOU OUT HERE? WE CAN MAKE ROOM IN THE HOUSE IF YOU WANT!"

"Nah, the outdoors calms me," Randall said, resting his head back on the rock. "Besides, I don't want to cramp your style. We aren't really on the same side, you know."

Boomer cocked his head to the side. "WE ARE?! I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL FRIENDS HERE!" he said in confusion.

Randall paused for a moment, a sly smirk growing on his face. "I'm sorry, but that's not true," he said. "Jeremy openly threatened me to vote for Roxanne last time. I didn't listen, but he took it out on me yesterday since she didn't go. I don't really want to put myself in a situation that makes me uncomfortable."

Boomer frowned, looking even more confused. "THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE JEREMY AT ALL," Boomer said. "YOU SURE IT WAS JEREMY? HE'S NOT A JERK TO ANYONE!"

Randall wagged his finger making a ticking sound. "Sounds like you don't know Jeremy as well as you thought," Randall sighed. "He's not the nice guy he appears to be. Sorry you had to hear it from me."

Boomer's frown deepened. "I THOUGHT WE WERE PALS! WHY WOULD HE LIE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!"

"Votes," Randall shrugged. "A lot of people go around faking friendships so they'll last longer. Not me though. I'm willing to be friends with anyone, even those who aren't so nice themselves."

Boomer lightly smiled. "THAT'S WHAT I DO TOO!" Boomer said.

"You don't say," Randall said, hiding a smirk. "Well, I have a proposition for you then. What do you say if we vote for Jeremy next time we lose? He faked your friendship and, let's face it, a jerk like him shouldn't be allowed to continue, am I right?"

Boomer hesitated. "LET ME THINK ABOUT IT! I'M STILL NOT CONVINCED JEREMY'S A BAD PERSON, SO I WANT SOME TIME TO PROVE IT FOR MYSELF!"

"By all means, take all the time you want," Randall shrugged. "I'm not one to force people to do something they don't want to do. Just keep in mind we might lose at any time, so be handy with that vote if it comes up."

"I'LL KEEP IT IN MIND!" Boomer called and began to walk away, much more confused than he was when he arrive. When Boomer was gone, Randall looked up at the stars again with a small smile.

"Sneakiest bastard ever. I love my job," Randall chuckled.

 **Confessional: A job that no one wants.**

 **Boomer: RANDALL HASN'T TALKED TO ME MUCH, BUT HE SEEMED SUPER CONVINCING! JEREMY AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR THREE DAYS AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN TRUST HIM MORE THAN RANDALL… BUT MAYBE RANDALL'S TELLING THE TRUTH? I DON'T KNOW BUT I WANT TO FIGURE THIS OUT BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS!**

 **Randall: I'm starting to realize talking like a sneak is different than** _ **being**_ **a sneak. I need to up my game and seem** _ **less**_ **sneaky… but still make seem like I'm up to something. So… I'm going to flat out tell Jeremy my plan. This might sound insane… but it might just work. Hehehehe…**

Jeremy had left his room and made his way down to Gracie's room. He knocked on her door and waited for a moment. He heard a distinct, 'Come in.' Jeremy smiled and walked inside of it, seeing Gracie gratefully smiling on her bed.

"Nice of you to drop by," Gracie giggled.

"Boomer went for a walk and I'm good strategy wise, so really, you were the only one I had left to talk to," Jeremy shrugged. "Not that I wouldn't talk to you."

"Aw, thanks! I… think…" Gracie said hesitantly.

Jeremy chuckled. "Sorry, not the most social guy in the world," he said. "So, what's up with you? Do you feel good about your position? You should, considering we _are_ allies and all."

Gracie giggled… then paused. "To be honest… I'm not all that sure," Gracie admitted. "I know that things are going ok and that we're pretty much good for another round…but I feel like I'm not… doing the right things. I mean… I voted off Tara over someone who wants to kill me…and everything is just so confusing…"

Jeremy sat down next to Gracie and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm sorry to hear that," Jeremy admitted. "But… it's ok. Some people here are going to screw with your emotions and you just have to ignore them. Your emotions need to be your own. Everything will be ok so long as you make sure you do what _you_ feel like doing."

Gracie took a breath… and then smiled. "Thanks Jeremy," she said to him. "Being rich doesn't prepare me for everything. So… thanks for being there for me."

Jeremy smiled. "Any time you need someone to lean on, I'll be here. Especially during vote times, since either of us could go if we don't rely on each other."

"Of course. Roxanne, right?" Gracie guessed.

"Why _wouldn't_ she be the target?" Jeremy chuckled. "The fact she's even made it to day four surprises me. But, that's as far as she'll get, because we are a trio!" Jeremy paused. "In case you didn't know, Boomer's the third one."

"I know," Gracie giggled.

 **Confessional: Can I be the fourth member of the trio?**

 **Gracie: Jeremy's always there to make me feel better about myself.** (Giggles.) **Also… he doesn't really do it because I'm rich either. I don't think anyone really brought up my money status at all during the stay.** (Smiles.) **Guess money doesn't always matter, huh?**

 **Jeremy: Sure, the money matters, always. Thing is, I like Gracie and I want to be sure that she has a good stay. She might be rich, but there's more to this game than money. Same with girlfriends… not that she's my girlfriend! No, we aren't a couple! Shippers, no!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina was sitting on a rock as Tristen did push-ups. They had returned from the elimination and everyone else left to their normal spots. As Tristen worked out, Angelina look off into the distance, uncharacteristically calm for once.

"Hey Tristen? Do you think… Sherry and I can still be friends?" Angelina asked.

Tristen continued his push-ups. "I think so," he grunted. "Just because she wasn't originally random doesn't mean you two can't still get along."

"I know… but our friendship was partially based on a lie. I don't know if there's some rule about fish flying over the ocean that prohibits us from being friends," Angelina said, shaking her head. "I don't like things that make me feel… like this."

Tristen stopped his push-ups and thought for a moment. "I think that, when the contest is over, you should simply talk to Sherry and try to bond a little bit more," Tristen suggested. "The original friendship might have been a lie, but you two can easily forge another one by just being yourselves."

Angelina thought about it for a moment… before smiling. "You're right!" she said cheerfully. "Besides, who else am I supposed to share donuts with?"

"Since when have you ever had donuts?" Tristen asked, chuckling as he continued his push-ups.

"I don't… but after I beat a rattlesnake in an arm wrestling contest, I'll be littered with donuts of pure sugar!" Angelina declared, bouncing off.

Tristen chuckled, shaking his head. "I hate to see her expression when she realizes snakes don't have arms," he said to himself, grunting as he continued to work out.

 **Confessional: Grunty grunt grunt!**

 **Angelina:** (Pouting.) **Aw! Snakes don't have arms! That makes me sad… WAIT! Does that mean… porcupines don't have quills?!** (She gasps.) **MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE!**

 **Tristen: I don't regret turning on Bruce for a second. Angelina is just so random and funny, even when she feels down and depressed. I think I'll stick with her like I planned, mostly just because we're good friends and I don't want to end up with someone as jerkish as Bruce.**

Bruce was asleep against his rock, mumbling and turning in his sleep. "No… please… STOP!" he screamed, shooting himself awake. He panted, exhausted form the dream he just had. He shook his head and leaned back against his rock. "Stupid…" he grumbled.

"Indeed, you kind of are," came a voice. Bruce scowled as Nora walked toward him, looking stoic.

"What are you doing? It's the middle of the night," Bruce grumbled.

"I don't sleep well," Nora said, batting the question to the side. "Besides, I heard you talking in your sleep and I wanted to come by to analyze it."

Bruce scoffed. "I'm not a page of statistics. I'm not here for you to study," he said, standing up.

"But never the less, I've read you," Nora said. "And I know that you are the cause of Morgan's coma."

Bruce stared at Nora, cold hatred in his eyes. He took an angry step forward and jabbed a finger toward her. "What did I say about saying her name?" he snarled. "I took a side and that was a #$% mistake."

"And yet that mistake is not what you are trying to avenge," Nora said, shaking her head. "Your assuming that by ridding of 'problems', your mistake will no longer exist. That notion is wrong, and yet you ignore the warnings of others and continue on this path."

"You know _nothing_ about suffering," Bruce said, his tone dark. "When you've lived through Hell, call me."

Nora simply stared at Bruce calmly. "I've read you thoroughly. What you've been through? That's not Hell Bruce. You don't know what Hell is." Nora left, leaving Bruce to seethe in anger after her.

 **Confessional: Val's been to Hell.**

 **Bruce:** (Looks ticked off.) **Nora knows** _ **nothing**_ **about suffering! I don't take sides because I know what happens when you do! Nora knows** _ **nothing!**_ **Angelina may still be a problem, but Nora's starting to be a problem to my health.**

 **Nora:** (Giggles then straightens up.) **Bruce and I do not see eye to eye. That is because Bruce's definition of problem is too lose for him to justify his actions. My goal is to get close and destroy… but Bruce is already doing that to himself. I'm merely helping him along.**

Bernard was trudging around the open area, alone. His eye twitched as he made his way forward and slowly made his way along. His hands were red with scratches as he walked forward.

"I…need… ASS!" Bernard screamed in frustration.

 **Confessional: Are we positive he doesn't have problems?**

 **Bernard:** (Looks like he's going to lose it.) **I need the goods… I can't** _ **live**_ **without the goods! Sherry was supposed to satisfy me… so hungry… need… ASS!**

 **(Unknown Location)**

Chris was calmly making his way around the island. The season was only moving forward and those keys were still hidden. Quiltal was only getting more and more impatient, so Chris decided hed search all night if he had to just to find the location.

"Come on… come to Chris," the ex-host grumbled, looking around the area carefully. He walked forward a little more… only to find a glow before him.

Chris looked to both sides to find that he was standing before a river of lava, which seemed to flow down forever. Chris, being the thorough person he was, followed the river downstream. As he walked, he found that it came to a full circle back up the mountain side, which defied gravity. But, Chris being Chris, didn't care much.

After following the river for about two hours, he finally came to a giant lake full of lava. Chris took note of the river going back up stream, which completed the loop. In the middle of the lake was a small land mass with burnt trees surrounding the outer edge. "Well, no key… but I guess this could work for tomorrow's challenge," Chris grumbled, looking downward.

A smirk crossed his face. "Or… maybe not," he said. For down below his eye-level was a brick. On that brick was an engraving of a key.

 **(Next Morning: Valiant Volcanos)**

Jeremy yawned as he awoke. He smiled up at the ceiling. "Today's going to be a good day for me. I can feel it," he said, sitting up with a smile.

Roxanne was hanging right in front of his face.

"HI!" she said.

"Gah!" Jeremy screamed and tumbled out of his bed. He managed to stop himself from falling… right onto a well-placed knife at the foot of his bed. "Oh #$%," Jeremy whimpered, carefully readjusting himself so he avoided crashing down on it.

"Aw! I want to see you squirm with the knife in your neck!" Roxanne complained, pouting.

"Well, sorry I messed with your plans," Jeremy grumbled, standing up. "I now hate this room for not having a door."

"I don't! I can kill you whenever I want! Isn't that great?"

Jeremy stared at Roxanne for a moment. "I don't think anyone's ever told you this, so I will," he said, his voice borderline threatening. "You're a #$% maniac. You're a danger to society and nothing you do is morally right. You should rot away in a mental facility and never see daylight again."

Roxanne cocked her head at Jeremy's words… and smiled. "Cool! Say, do you think my eyes will liquefy if I don't ever see sunlight again? That would be the best birthday present ever!"

Jeremy flinched. "Um… today your birthday?" he asked, slowly making his way to the exit.

"Nope! But every day is my birthday when I kill someone! So… pretty much almost every day!" Roxanne said, a sweet smile on her face. "Say… would you like to make today my birthday? I'd love you forever!"

"Yeah… pass," Jeremy said, bolting from the room.

 **Confessional: Who would want to take that? Who? The consequences aren't worth it!**

 **Roxanne: I think Jeremy has a crush on me… aw! So sweet! Maybe I won't kill him… quickly, anyway! If he loves me, I'll let our time together last as long as possible and I'll just slowly kill him! I've never tried keeping someone alive while removing organs before… but for Jeremy, I'll do it! Only for him though.**

 **Jeremy:** (Looks terrified.) _**How**_ **is that girl allowed to compete? Seriously, what is her damage? I mean, have you guys** _ **ever**_ **seen a contestant** _ **this**_ **insane? Even** _ **Scarlett**_ **wasn't this bad! Whoever's editing the footage might make this look tame, but trust me, she almost** _ **killed**_ **me! She's not safe to have around, in the game** _ **or**_ **life!**

Randall stretched himself awake, looking up at the sky. "I find it funny no one else has noticed the clouds on this island are black," Randall noted. "I guess it must be the smoke coming from the island. Understandable, this rock _is_ on fire."

"Hi Randall. Have a good night sleep?" Gracie asked with a smile as she walked pass.

"Decent enough. I mean, I dreamt of drowning-I mean, hugging puppies," Randall chuckled. "How about you? You sleep terr-I mean, well?"

Gracie beamed. "Wonderfully. I had a dream about me and Jeremy… isn't he amazing?" she sighed dreamily.

"Yeah, as amazing as stepping on a Lego," Randall grumbled. Then he said louder, "Sure is! Too bad he's planning on voting me out soon…"

"Huh?" Gracie said, looking confused. "No, we said we were voting for Roxanne next."

Randall gasped, covering his mouth. "Oh… you must not know," Randall said, shaking his head. "Jeremy's not the nice guy he says he is. He's been threatening me and pretty much blackmailing me. He's not a good person Gracie."

"But… that doesn't sound like Jeremy," Gracie said. "He's a nice guy! Always looking out for his friends!"

"I've been nothing but nice to you guys, and look how he's treated me?" Randall said, pulling up a sleeve to reveal what appeared to be knife cuts. Gracie gasped, taking a step backward. "I don't think Jeremy is the person you think he is."

"I… I… I have to go!" Gracie said and left, tears and worry in her eyes.

Randall chuckled, pulling out a hidden knife from his pocket. "Thank you Roxanne for letting me borrow this," he said with a smirk.

 **Confessional: Merl hasn't even been introduced yet!**

 **Randall: Yeah, cutting those scratches hurt like #$%, but really, it was worth it. If Jeremy looks like he's a threat, not only strategically but as a person, then why would his friends want to vote with him? Roxanne's going to be winning this thing for sure, I'm all but guaranteeing it.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks worried and conflicted.) **I believe Jeremy is a nice person and wants to help me… but those cuts on Randall's arm… why would Jeremy do something like that? I… I need to clear my head…**

In the lobby of the Fire House, Kellie had woken up. Unlike the day before, she had bypassed the wall and was not punching it in a complete rage. However, her wrath was not spared on something else much less fortunate than the wall.

Kellie glared at a rock across the room.

"WHAT THE #$% ARE YOU LOOKING AT ROCK?!" Kellie roared. She jumped across the room and punched the rock. The rock was unfazed, but Kellie continued to rage and punch the rock.

Right at that moment, Boomer entered the room and watched Kellie punch the poor rock. "I DON'T MEAN TO QUESTION YOU'RE METHODS, BUT WHAT EXACTLY DID THAT ROCK DO TO YOU?!" Boomer asked her.

"It looked at me weird," Kellie said, instantly standing up.

Boomer cocked his head to the side. "SORRY TO BE THE ONE TO SAY THIS… BUT THAT'S A ROCK!"

"I KNOW IT'S A ROCK #$% HEAD! NOW WHAT THE #$% DO YOU WANT?!" Kellie yelled in rage.

Boomer shrugged. "I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY I WOULD KEEP COMING BACK UNTIL WE WERE FRIENDS, DIDN'T I?!" Boomer asked. "SO, CONSIDER THIS ME COMING BACK!"

Kellie glared at Boomer intensely. "You're a suicidal punk. #$% learn this now: I don't make friends. I only yell and destroy self-esteem. Got it?"

"YOU ARE WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE! I BELIEVE YOU ARE MORE THAN ANGER!" Boomer said. "MAYBE MY YELLING DOESN'T HELP, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT! BUT PLEASE KNOW I STILL WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND, EVEN IF YOU WANT TO CRUSH MY SELF-ESTEEM! I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

Boomer left the room, leaving Kellie by herself. Kellie stared after him, looking confused. "Why the #$% does he #$% care?" she grunted.

 **Confessional: Teacher's just don't care.**

 **Kellie: Seriously, why does Boomer #$% try? All I will** _ **ever**_ **feel is anger! WHY CAN'T HE #$% UNDERSTAND THAT!? I don't… want to hurt him.**

 **Boomer: THE THING THAT MAKES KELLIE INTERESTING ISN'T HER ANGER! IT'S THE FACT SHE KEEPS TRYING TO PUSH ME AWAY! IF I WERE ANGRY ALL THE TIME, I WOULD PROBABLY WANT PEOPLE AROUND FOR ME TO YELL AT! KELLIE WANTS ME TO LEAVE HER ALONE! THAT OBVIOUSLY MEANS SOMETHING… RIGHT?!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina cheerfully skipped around, not having anywhere specific she wanted to be. "I love jumping in the morning! So much fun!" she giggled as she bounced happily.

"ASS!" someone screamed. Angelina stopped bouncing and spun around. Bernard was on the ground, groaning in pain. Angelina smiled and bounced over to him and looked over his body curiously.

"You seem like you're in pain," she noted. "Did a flaming monkey do it? I thought I saw one yesterday, but I could have very well been mistaken."

Bernard looked up at Angelina pleadingly. "Please… I need help… let me touch your ass!" he pleaded.

Angelina contemplated it. "Eh, sure," she shrugged.

"Wha…really?!" Bernard said, jumping to his feet giddily.

"Yeah, sure you can!" Angelina smiled. Out of nowhere, a donkey ran smack into Bernard, running him to the ground. Bernard groaned and Angelina giggled. "Was that as fun as you thought it'd be?" she asked him.

"I can't feel… my back," Bernard groaned.

"Cool! I lost all feeling in my pinkie toe once. It was like having a toe… but not!" Angelina giggled and happily bounced away, leaving Bernard to groan in pain.

 **Confessional: Beware double meanings.**

 **Bernard:** (Looks unhappy.) **All I wanted was a little ass… is that so much to ask? It's not a problem, it's just something I want! Wanting something doesn't make it a problem! SO LET ME HAVE IT!**

 **Angelina: I have no idea where that donkey came from. I don't like people touching me, but I thought it'd be funny if I pray that something random ran over Bernard. And look at that, my prayer came true! Yay for me!**

Bruce groaned as he opened his eyes. There were big black bags hanging under them as he stretched. "Danggit… another night less sleep," he muttered to himself.

Bruce looked up at the sky. "I wonder when these nightmares will stop," Bruce sighed, shaking his head. "It's been two years already… why can't I get over it? Sure, I picked a side and it had consequences. I've redeemed myself from not picking sides since then, right?"

"But… maybe I haven't done enough. I mean, I haven't rid this game of its problems and created equal ground for everyone. Maybe that is what the universe wants me to do. Once the problems in this game are gone, the world will bless me for creating peace by removing my nightmares."

Bruce nodded to himself, looking at the rock. "I can think the clearest here for some reason," he said with a smile. "Maybe this just reminds me of Morgan. That's probably it." He was quiet for a few moments. "Wake up soon Mor. I love ya."

 **Confessional: Right reasons, wrong execution.**

 **Bruce: Alright, so last night's vote failed miserably, but I think I know why. Angelina, obviously, is too integrated into the team. Bernard's a perv, Nora's against every little thing I try to do in this game, and Tristen is obviously friends with her. Therefore, I need to take out the supporting pillar: Tristen. The real question is… how do I do that without taking a side?**

Tristen had woken up and went straight back ot his push-ups. Angelina hadn't returned the night before, so he figured she was just bouncing around with her endless energy. Tristen grunted as he worked out, thinking aloud.

"Sherry took herself out of the game to save us last night," Tristen grunted. "I'm thankful, but now that leaves two against three. Bruce might try and go rally Bernard and Nora, so maybe I should target one of them?"

"Bruce does not know pain from suffering, let alone allies that stick," Nora said as she approached Tristen.

"Obviously. He also doesn't know the meaning of relying on team support," Tristen chuckled. "Good morning Nora. Sleep well?"

"I don't sleep," Nora said simply. "You're cautious with your work outs because of what happened to your brother, correct?"

Tristen raised an eyebrow, but firmly nodded. "Yeah, that's right," Tristen confirmed. "He overdid it once and almost died from it. He came to me a few days later and told me, 'Tristen, listen. It's ok to go out and seek the thrills of life. Just make sure you don't do something that puts you in a situation you won't survive.' I've listened to those words ever since."

Nora nodded, looking up thoughtfully. "I remember… saying something similar to my younger sister," she said fondly. "'It takes a lot to survive in this world. You might be forced to do something you may not want to do… but the benefit is better than the consequence."

Tristen raised an eyebrow as he continued to work out. "Those sound like words you've had to use yourself," Tristen commented.

"Words are used like actions. Use them to interrupt the action," Nora said simply.

"Profound way of thinking. Not many people think like that," Tristen noted.

"Not many people know pain like I do," Nora said, stiffening a little. "I've talked too much. Keep in mind I won't vote for you. This chat has been… interesting."

Nora walked off, leaving Tristen to ponder over her words. "I wonder… how much of herself does Nora bury deep inside?" Tristen wondered aloud.

 **Confessional: I'm somewhat buried in the ground, if that's what you mean.**

 **Tristen: You know, Nora, at first, seemed like a jerk, but… after talking to her, I think what seemed off about her was just her sense of observation. I think she lacks the ability of keeping the things she sees to herself, hence why some people saw her as a bit of a jerk. But when you think about it… she never uses that information** _ **against**_ **us. Well, sure, if your Jackal she does, but overall, she uses the things she sees to create conversations. Makes me wonder what happened to her that made her have this keen observation.**

 **Nora:** (Shivers.) **Redrick doesn't approve of friends. I was too close to Tristen just there. Get close and destroy. That was the goal he assigned me to long ago. I cannot disobey. I have no choice but to use the information I collect and destroy those I 'befriend'.**

 **(Topher's Trailer)**

Topher yawned as he rubbed his eyes. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at his table, wrapping his blue rob around him as he did so. He took a sip and sighed. "Mornings like this I love being a host. I get to do absolutely nothing until challenge time in a few hours."

"Hey #$%! Open up!"

"Good morning ruined," Topher grumbled as he got up and opened his trailer door. Amy was standing there, looking as peeved as normal. "Good morning twin I can't stand. How bad has your morning been?"

"Terrific," she smirked.

"Why can't your life suck for once?" Topher grumbled. "Chris came up with a challenge for us?"

"He wants to run it today. You and _Same_ -y get the day off while he and I handle it," Amy grumbled. "How come you get free-bes and I don't?"

"Because, last I checked, Chris hired me for host and not you," Topher smirked and shut the door.

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Kellie decided to go outside for a change and get some fresh air. She was walking around the outside of the Fire House as she tried to keep her temper in check. She was passing by a lava pool, breathing deeply.

"I'm calm… I'm not angry… I won't destroy my team," she whispered to herself.

"Sup?" Randall asked as she passed by him.

Kellie twitched. " #$%!" she screamed.

 **Confessional: Because Kellie's not picked on enough!**

 **Randall: You know, I realized something just now. Kellie's the swing vote. Roxanne and I are a duo and Jeremy, Gracie, Boomer are a trio. Kellie is in neither group. Normally someone strategic would exploit this… but I have nothing to use against Kellie. Boomer and Gracie I can manipulate through their confusion. Kellie? I can't do anything with her unless I want to get murdered.**

 **Kellie: I was doing so well too… #$%IT RANDALL! YOU UPPED AND SAID SUP! I HATE THAT WORD WITH A BURNING PASSION OF DEATH!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Bernard moaned, falling flat on his face in front of Bruce, who was still sitting next to his rock. "This is the _worst_ experience of my life!"

"Because you can't touch girls inappropriately?" Bruce asked bluntly.

"What _else_ would I be upset about!?" Bernard screamed. "I NEED ASS! Can you get me ass? I'm begging here!"

Bruce rolled his eyes… only to pause. "You know… I've got Angelina under my thumb," Bruce suggested. "Maybe if you vote with me next time, she'll let you grope her for a few minutes."

Bernard's eyes glowed. "You had me at ass," he said happily.

"I didn't… say ass," Bruce said.

"You lost me at… you never had me, just get me some ass and I'll vote with you," Bernard said, waving his hand aside.

 **Confessional: Whose side is Bruce on?**

 **Bruce: If I convince Bernard to vote with me then somehow trick Angelina in voting for Tristen, I'm not taking** _ **either**_ **side. I'm using both sides against each other to take out who I want. That is what I like to call team managing.**

 **Bernard: I don't care about votes. I just need some ass… and not the #$% donkey kind either! I need the womanly kind! NOW!**

 **(River of Heat)**

The remaining eleven campers had been rounded up on the four-wheelers and brought to their challenge area. It was where Chris was the night before, right next to the river. Two boats were sitting in the lava, somehow still intact. Chris and Amy stood in front of the river, the latter scowling.

"Welcome to your next challenge!" Chris said with a charismatic smile. "Topher gets a day off so I can host this one. Can't resist that hosting urge."

"I can. But I do it anyway," Amy muttered.

"Anyway, for today's challenge, we've got ourselves some non-melting boats. Your challenge will be to boat down the River of Heat to the lake down there. Your goal is to go to the island in the lake and retrieve a key of some sort. Sail back up the river to here. First team back with the key wins immunity!"

"Whatever," Amy grumbled. "Valiant Volcanos, you have one more member compared to the Lying Lava. Choose someone to sit out the challenge. And Gracie can't, because she's already been lazy in this contest."

"Hey!" Gracie scowled.

There was a silence from the Valiant Volcanos for a moment. "I'll do it," Randall said, raising his hand. "Not like I give a-I mean, I love these guys, but I need a little break."

"Fair enough. Randall sits out," Chris said. "With that out of the way, get in the boats and we can start the challenge shortly!"

 **Confessional: Row, Row, Row your lava boat!**

 **Kellie: I was going to sit out… BUT RANDALL BEAT ME TO IT #$%IT! I don't want to lose it and make people vote for me…** (Takes a deep breath.) **Maybe Boomer can calm me down… who am I #$% kidding, HE'LL MAKE IT WORSE!**

 **Tristen:** (He nods his head with a smile.) **Perfect! I practiced rowing when I was thirteen. Sure, this is more dangerous, but at least I know how to keep us balanced. Let's just hope Angelina won't tip the boat over…**

 **Jeremy: Randall's out… but let's face it, he's not really there for muscle. Heck… he doesn't really offer anything. We should be good on the rowing front since both Kellie and Boomer are physically strong. Let's just hope we can start a winning streak!**

 **Bernard: Is it wrong I want to grope Amy's ass? I haven't considered her yet… I NEED ASS #$%IT!**

 **Ben's Note: And that's it for part one! I hope you guys liked it, because I sure enjoyed writing it! Part two will be up as soon as I can, so stayed tune! Feel free to leave a review about what you thought and who your favorite character was this time!**

 **Next Time:** The contestants sail down the river and drama happens. One team finds the key, one team wins the challenge, and someone is eliminated from the contest.


	9. E4 P2: The River of Heat

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And another chapter done! This story really is a fun one to write and I hope you all are enjoying it as much as I am! Also, question. Is anything in this fic M rated? If so, I can easily change the rating. I might do it anyway, considering some of the things that I have planned for this thing. Anyway, let me know who your favorite character is and enjoy!**

Rowing the boat until it melts.

E4 P2: The River of Heat

 **(River of Heat)**

The two teams had boarded their boats while Randall went off to the side to wait out the challenge. Once the two teams were in the boats, they started to discuss who was going to be where in the boat.

"Alright, me and Bernard in the back," Tristen instructed. "Since we're the strongest of the team, we can focus on pushing us forward. Bruce and Nora, I know you hate each other's guts, but you two man the oars near the front of the boat and make sure we turn correctly."

"Sounds sound," Nora nodded.

"Ooo! What can I do Mr. Boss?" Angelina asked giddily.

Tristen hesitated. "You can stand lookout point at the front of the boat and help Nora and Bruce turn," he finally said. "And don't jump out of the boat to go swimming."

"Aw, but I like swimming…"

"You'd burn up and die," Bruce said flatly. "That would be no good to us as a team or you as a person. Because you'd be dead."

Angelina thought about that for a moment. "Hummingbirds!" she said cheerfully and bounced to the front of the boat. Tristen chuckled at this while Bruce rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the other boat, Kellie was yelling at everyone, as per the norm. "I'M GOING TO ROW!" she screamed. "YOU GOT IT #$%?"

"I HEAR YOU LOUD AND… WELL, MOSTLY LOUD, BUT THAT'S OK!" Boomer said with a smile. "I CAN ROW TOO, CONSIDERING THAT I'M PRETTY STRONG! MAYBE JEREMY AND GRACIE CAN ROW AND ROXANNE… CAN JUST PLAY WITH HER IMAGINATION!"

"Or I can kill you all by swamping our boat!" Roxanne giggled. "That sounds _a lot_ more fun!"

There was silence for a bit. "Yeah, let's have Roxanne not kill us and have her row and Gracie can play with her imagination," Jeremy suggested.

"So long as I don't have to sit next to Roxanne, then I'm good with whatever seating arrangement you give me," Gracie agreed.

Once the ten contestants competing in the challenge were situated, Chris gave a grin to Amy. "Want to start this one off?" Chris asked her.

"I hate this #$% job. Just do it," Amy grumbled.

Chris smirked. "If you insisted," he said. "Remember, first one back with the key wins! And yes, you _can_ attack each other's boat for the key! Anything goes in this challenge! Ready? You better be, because this is going to be dramatic! GO!"

 **Confessional: That one person no one wants to sit by.**

 **Nora: I'm not as strong as the others, so side rower is good with me. I would have replaced Bruce with Angelina, since her pent up energy is made from a lack of attention or care and is almost endless. But, Tristen doesn't know that, so I guess I'll tolerate Bruce for one challenge.**

 **Jeremy: You know, Randall sitting out isn't a bad thing. Most of the stronger people on our team are competing this time. I hope that Kellie and Boomer can get along for one challenge. I know Kellie has a temper… and Boomer doesn't have a lot of personal space.**

 **Bernard: So long as I get some ass by the end of this challenge, I won't complain about sitting next to a dude and doing work. I'm not a monster.**

 **Randall: Sitting out might give me a disadvantage if we lose and everyone wants to vote Roxanne. I can't really socialize with the others if I'm not there to socialize. So… I'm betting my money on Roxanne. If she can do something devastating, she'll do it. Let's just see how evil this girl really is.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

The Lying Lava had started to row and, believe it or not, managed to get a minor lead against the Valiant Volcanos, who were more so on the other side of the river. Angelina looked over at the other boat and gave a wave. "HI BOOMER!" she yelled. "I WISH WE WERE ON THE SAME TEAM! YOU'RE SO COOL!"

"ME TOO ANGELINA! MAYBE WE SHOULD PLAN ON NOT GETTING VOTED OFF AND TEAM UP!" Boomer called back to her.

"GOOD PLAN!"

"And you guys think _I'm_ a better target," Bruce grumbled. "She's obviously making plans with the other team! How come she's in no way a threat?"

"Because she does not grate on my nerves," Nora responded, thinking fondly. "My younger sister used to be like her… her innocence and care free spirit were the only things that made me smile when I was younger…"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "You're using your sister to appeal to me," Bruce grumbled. "Stop it. It's not working. You chose to take sides and fail to see that being on neither side benefits me better."

Nora was silent for a moment. "You're a hypocrite," Nora said flatly.

Bruce glared at her. "How so? Give me _one_ good reason I'm a hypocrite," Bruce said.

"I'll give you three. 1. You're constantly about not taking a side when you obviously _take_ a side to get rid of 'problems', which make the team better. But no, you don't see it through your thick skull. 2. When you don't take a side, you _make_ a side to compensate. I know about your Bernard and Angelina plan. It's dumb. 3. You say that my sister appeal isn't working? Not only was I _not_ trying to appeal to you, but how could you say that considering where _your_ sister is?"

Bruce stopped rowing and looked straight at Nora. "I will not hesitate to push you off this boat and watch you burn," Bruce said. "Don't. Ever. Mention. My. Sister. Again."

Nora fell silent. "You may think you're doing good," Nora said simply. "Are you?"

Bruce scoffed. "Of course I am!"

"Then you won't get votes at the next elimination."

 **Confessional: Is that really a sign of being a good guy?**

 **Bruce: Nora… infuriates me. My personal matters don't concern her at all. The fact she continuously thinks that she's giving me advice annoys me. But… this isn't a problem. It's personal, but not a problem for the overall team. Tristen for going against me** _ **is**_ **a problem for the team, thus why I need to convince Angelina to vote for him.**

 **Nora: I understand I might be pushing Bruce, but that is what Redrick wants. I know I skipped the 'get close' part, but if he's destroyed, then what does Redrick care? If I get the money and prove that I can destroy, then why does skipping a step matter?**

Near the back of the boat, Tristen and Bernard were rowing as fast as they could. They still managed to keep their boat ahead of the Valiant Volcanoes, which made Tristen smile. "I knew this was a good idea," Tristen said. "Strong people in back, less strong in front."

"I agree, good plan," Bernard said, his voice sounding distant.

Tristen sighed, rolling his eyes. "Your staring at Angelina's ass, aren't you?" Tristen guessed.

"What else _would_ I be looking at?" Bernard asked hungrily. "I mean… _look_ at it! It looks so good… so delicious… I NEED IT #$%IT! And not her #$% pet donkey either!"

Tristen raised an eyebrow. "Pet… donkey?" he asked him.

"Yeah, #$% #$% said I could touch her ass," Bernard grumbled. "Out of know where, a donkey charged me. #$%. I will touch her ass if it's the last thing I do!"

Tristen winced. "Did you ever consider, maybe, she wants her personal space?" Tristen asked. "Why don't you back off and if she randomly comes to you offering to touch her ass, then take it?"

Bernard looked at Tristen flatly. "How realistic is that statement really?" Bernard asked seriously.

Tristen sighed, shaking his head. "Not realistic in the slightest," Tristen admitted.

"My point. Hence why I've come up with a genius plan of making Angelina's ass mine," Bernard giggled. "But… I'm not telling you, since you aren't a fan of Angelina being mine."

Tristen lightly scowled. "Angelina isn't anyone's property except her own," Tristen said simply.

"Says you #$% #$%," Bernard grumbled. "A woman _is_ my property. Especially the hot ones! Yummy!"

Tristen got a little green. "Just… row the boat," Tristen said.

 **Confessional: Row, row, row the boat!**

 **Tristen: Bernard… no. Angelina is her own person. Her ass isn't yours, it's hers. If she doesn't want you going off and touching it, then you aren't touching it.** (Pauses.) **This conversation with myself sounds awkward, doesn't it?** (Chuckles.) **Either way, I think I know who I'm going to target next at elimination.**

 **Bernard: Ok, sure, the plan to make Angelina's ass isn't** _ **mine,**_ **per se. Bruce came up with it, sure. But** _ **I'm**_ **going to be the one who gets ass, not Bruce! Also, I even came up with a** _ **better**_ **plan! Over the next two eliminations I attend, I'm getting rid of Tristen and Bruce. I'm sure Bruce will want to vote out Tristen, so boom, Angelina.** _ **But,**_ **I'll then use Angelina to vote off Bruce, making Nora mine! There's** _ **no way**_ **this can possibly go wrong!**

 **(Valiant Volcanoes)**

In the back of the Valiant Volcano's boat, someone was angry. And to the surprise of absolutely no one at all… it was Kellie. " #$% #$IT! THEY'RE #$% AHEAD!" she screamed angrily.

"UM… ONLY BY A LITTLE BIT!" Boomer called to her. "WE'RE NECK AND NECK WITH THEM! WE CAN STILL WIN THIS!"

"Quit being #$% optimistic! WE'RE GOING TO LOSE UNLESS WE'RE AHEAD OF THEM! ROXANNE! JUMP IN THE RIVER AND SABOTAGE THEIR BOAT!"

"Ok!" Roxanne giggled, getting ready to jump. Luckily, Gracie managed to grab her before she could follow Kellie's order. "Aw! I was looking forward to tipping their boat over and watching them squirm around as they burned!"

Boomer looked a little sick and confused. "YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WOULD BURN TO DEATH TOO, RIGHT?" Boomer asked.

"I know! That's half the fun!" Roxanne giggled.

"Fun?! DYING ISN'T FUN DUMB #$%!" Kellie screamed. "WHY DO YOU THINK WE HATE YOU SO #$% MUCH?!"

Roxanne cocked her head to the side. "Aw, you hate me? Oh well… more screams of anger from you!" Roxanne giggled. "And hopefully they give me good feels!"

Kellie stared at Roxanne for a moment. " #$%!" she screamed in a mix of fear and anger.

Boomer shook his head. "THIS TEAM IS SO MESSED UP I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE!" Boomer said loudly.

 **Confessional: Neither do most of the readers.**

 **Roxanne: Each of my team-mates have a certain amount of time I want to spend on their deaths. Kellie I want to kill slowly, along with Randall, since he and I are friends! Then I want to kill Boomer and Jeremy quickly. Gracie… I'm going to focus less on the amount of time I spend killing her and more on the amount of pain she feels before death!**

 **Boomer: LOOK, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS TEAM I CARE ABOUT! GRACIE'S MY FRIEND AND KELLIE I'M TRYING TO BEFRIEND! BUT, IF ANYTHING RANDALL SAYS IS TRUE, JEREMY IS ON ROXANNE'S SIDE! I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GUESS WRONG AND END UP IN A SITUATION I CAN'T GET OUT OF! SO, WHILE JEREMY MAY OR MAY NOT BE WHO HE SAYS HE IS, ROXANNE IS MORE OF AN IMMEDIATE DANGER!** (He pauses.) **DID THAT MAKE ANY SENSE TO YOU?! BECAUSE I DON'T TIHNK IT MADE ANY SENSE TO ME!**

After Roxanne had calmed down and went into her own little world inside her head (probably full of death), Jeremy started to think aloud. "Roxanne needs to go," he said to himself. "She's a danger to us and she obviously doesn't know it. I'd hate to make those eliminated suffer from her, but it's the only option we have."

"Or… is it?" Gracie asked, turning around to him.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Roxanne has made it her personal goal to kill you. I don't want that happening, so she's next on my list."

Gracie fidgeted. "Well… ok! Randall said that you aren't as nice as you say you are and that you wanted to target him! He mentioned that you're only using Boomer and me and that you are really one of the bad guys!" Gracie confessed.

Jeremy blinked in surprise. "Randall said that?" Jeremy said in surprise. "Well… no, I'm not a bad guy. Sure, I might not be the most social able, but I do care about my friends. Randall must be trying to get under your skin so that you _think_ I'm bad and you go and vote for me."

Gracie bit her lip. "But… how do I know that's not a lie?" Gracie asked. "How do I know if you're telling us to vote for Roxanne, but you're going to go behind our backs and vote for me or Boomer? Heck, how do I know that you're _safe_ to be around? I saw the cuts on Randall's arms."

Jeremy frown deepened. "Cuts? What cuts?" Jeremy asked in confusion.

Gracie sighed, shaking her head. "See? I don't know if you're lying to me or not. Are you really confused or are you faking being confused to lure me in a false sense of security? I just can't trust you…"

"But I didn't _do_ anything!" Jeremy said defensively. "Gracie, I really care about you. From the depths of my heart, I care for you over most other people. I only have known you three days, but I would _never_ lie to you! And Randall's cuts? I didn't do them! I don't know what he's trying to pull, but whatever it is, it's not because of me!"

Gracie hesitated. "I…I don't know…" she said nervously. "…I need some time to think about this…" Gracie went back to the front of the boat while Jeremy simply sighed.

 **Confessional: Because drama in Total Drama makes sense.**

 **Gracie: Who's being honest to me? Is Randall lying and trying to get me on his side because Jeremy's a threat to him? But even if Randall is lying, how did he get the cuts on his arms? Does Jeremy really care for me or is this all a trick? I'm so confused about all of this…**

 **Jeremy:** (Sighs.) **Gracie really** _ **does**_ **mean a lot to me. Randall's been going around and slandering my good name! I'm half tempted to vote for him over Roxanne… but all that would do is make Randall win. I need to prove my innocence and stick with the plan… although… if Randall got to Gracie, does this mean he got to Boomer too? Geez, I need to do some damage control…**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Both teams were neck in neck. Tristen and Bernard were picking up their pace, propelling the boat forward. Kellie growled from the other boat. " #$% YOU #$%!" Kellie screamed in rage. She picked up a spare oar and chucked it at the Lying Lava's boat.

The oar smacked the side of the Lying Lava's boat, making it wobble uncontrollably. " #$%!" Tristen said, shifting his weight back and forth. "Guys! Stop rowing and balance the boat! If we don't, we'll tip!"

Everyone stopped rowing and began to balance themselves out on the boat. The Valiant Volcanoes took this chance to slip into the lead, Kellie smirking as they did so. Once the Lying Lava's boat was balanced, Bruce scowled.

" #$%it Tristen," Bruce muttered. "You let them pass us!"

Tristen frowned. "Yeah, in order to save our lives," he said. "Do you _want_ to go for a swim in the lava?" Angelina immediately raised her hand giddily. "Rhetorical, Angelina." Angelina promptly put her hand down.

"Tristen is indeed correct," Nora said simply. "Had we rowed for a few more seconds, we'd all be dead. He saved our lives."

"But lost us the win," Bruce grumbled.

"Not quite," Tristen said, grabbing his oar. "They don't have the key, so that means we can still beat them to the island and grab it. Besides, even if they do get it before us, we can always steal it from them at the last second."

Bruce muttered something under his breath. "This better not end badly Tristen," Bruce warned. "Otherwise your ass is on the line."

"Ass?!" Bernard asked hopefully.

 **Confessional: Bernard doesn't seem to get figurative language.**

 **Nora:** (Looks calm and collected.) **I do believe that there is an easy solution to everyone's problem. Tristen is in danger, Angelina doesn't like anyone touching her, and I am annoyed by Bruce. In other words, a single move can solve all these problems… and… maybe… I don't have to destroy anyone after all.**

 **Tristen: I don't understand Bruce. I just… don't. Would he rathered we all died? I doubt it… if I let us all die, he'd probably yell at me then too. I just can't win with this guy…**

Bernard was rowing slowly, having a goofy look on his face. As you might be able to guess, he was having some thoughts about certain women that aren't really best expressed out loud. Bernard licked his lips hungrily, swaying back and forth.

"Ass… ass… ass…" he repeated over and over again.

"Donkey!"

"Huh?" Bernard asked in confusion.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a donkey fell from the sky on top of Bernard. The boat rocked, making Tristen stop rowing again in order to balance it. "What on Earth?" Tristen asked once the boat was steady.

"Bernard wanted ass! So, I prayed and gave him some! Aren't I so nice?" Angelina giggled playfully.

"You make no #$% sense," Bruce grumbled. "Where the #$% did that donkey come from? It's not like they just fall from the sky like that!"

Bernard mumbled sadly as he was crushed by the donkey on top of him. "Don't ever say that Bruce… that girl's a monster… a monster with a hot ass…"

"Amen," Bruce grumbled under his breath. What no one noticed was that Angelina deflated briefly, only to cover it with a giant smile on her face.

"I like him!" Angelina said, going over and hugging the donkey. "Can we keep him? Please, please, please?!"

"We don't really have a choice. If we pull over, we'll never catch up to the Valiant Volcanoes," Tristen said with a sigh. "It doesn't help since the donkey weighs us down more… but we'll have to continue onward."

"Yay! I'm going to name him… you know, since he likes you so much Bernard, you can name him!" Angelina said with a giggle.

"Asszilla," Bernard said instantly.

"Yay! Asszilla it is!"

 **Confessional: Because donkey!**

 **Bernard:** (Looks trampled on.) **I officially hate donkeys… AND THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM! I DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS!**

 **Angelina: I think Bernard and Asszilla are going to be the best of friends! I'll hang out with Asszilla too, but I don't want to intrude on their 'alone time'.** (Giggles.) **Popcorn!**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

As they were now ahead of the Lying Lava, Kellie had calmed down significantly. She was taking deep breaths and had her eyes shut as she rowed. _Ok, things got a little heated a few minutes ago and I lost it,_ Kellie thought to herself. _But now you can be calm. Everything is fine, nothing can make you mad right now…_

"HEY KELLIE?!"

Kellie twitched. "What is it Boomer?" Kellie asked, keeping her voice as calm as possible.

"I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY YOU FOCUS SO MUCH ON BEING ANGRY!" Boomer said. "I MEAN, WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT AND RUN ON DIFFERENT EMOTIONS! I RUN ALMOST SOULY ON HAPPINESS! I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY YOU RUN ON ANGER OVER THE OTHER EMOTIONS!"

Kellie was silent for a moment. "None of your business," Kellie said simply. "All you need to know is that I'm always angry and I'll never be anything different. Ever."

Boomer stayed quiet after that, which was a shock for Kellie. The two continued to propel the boat forward in silence. After a few minutes of this, Boomer finally said, "YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY I'M SO LOUD?! IT'S NOT TO GET ON YOUR NERVES! THE REASON WHY I TALK LIKE THIS… IS BECAUSE I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING I'M SAYING!"

"Pfft, yeah, after talking like that, no wonder you're deaf," Kellie grumbled. However, after looking at Boomer, she realized that he was deaf long before he started talking like that. "Oh…"

"YEP! THIS IS THE ONLY FREQUENCY I CAN HEAR AT!" Boomer confirmed. "I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT FIXED A LONG TIME AGO, BUT MY FAMILY ISN'T THE RICHEST IN THE WORLD! SO, I FIGURED THAT I WOULD WIN THIS PRICE SO I CAN FIX MY EARS! THAT WAY I CAN HEAR NORMALLY!"

Kellie was silent after this. "So… you aren't loud because you want to… you're loud because you need to?" she asked him.

"YEP! IT'S WHY I LIKE YOU SO MUCH! YOU TALK LOUD ENOUGH FOR ME TO HEAR AND NOT REQUIRE ME READING YOUR LIPS!" Boomer confirmed.

Kellie blushed for a moment before scowling. "Oh yeah? Well… I DON'T CARE!" Kellie screamed. Boomer and Kellie were silent again. Kellie thought to herself, _#$%it… that's not what I meant to say! CURSE YOU ANGER!_

 **Confessional: Sure, because it's all the emotion's fault.**

 **Kellie: …Why does Boomer always have to go and make me feel…** _ **this**_ **! I don't know what the #$% this feeling is… AND IT MAKES ME ANGRY!** (Takes a few deep breaths.) **No, not angry… but not knowing what I'm feeling is TICKING ME OFF!**

 **Boomer: I THOUGHT MAYBE KELLIE WOULD CALM DOWN IF SHE KNEW WHY I WAS HERE! I GUESS HER ANGER IS STRONGER THAN ANY OTHER EMOTION INSIDE OF HER!** (He pauses.) **BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER! I'LL STILL TRY TO BE HER FRIEND, EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T WANT ME TOO!**

In the front of the boat, Gracie was sitting, looking off in the horizon. She seemed confused and a little bit upset as she spoke aloud to herself. "I don't know who's being honest," she said. "Is Randall or Jeremy lying to me? Or are both trying to deceive me? I just don't know…"

"I know!" Roxanne said. "You are!"

Gracie frowned and turned around. "What?" Gracie asked her. "How could you say something like that?"

"I can because I know!" Roxanne giggled. "You're the liar! Not Jeremy, not Randall. You! You, you, you, you, you!"

Gracie frowned. "I don't lie to people," Gracie said. "Despite Randall confusing me, I care for Jeremy very much. Randall might be sneaky and up to something most of the time, but I don't want to hurt him."

Roxanne giggled. "Lies!" she giggled.

"Roxanne, shut up," Jeremy said simply. "I believe Gracie. She might be super confused right now, and I understand I need to back off. Quit making her feel bad."

Roxanne glanced at Gracie one last time. "Ok!" she said with a smile. "But just know that I know!"

 **Confessional: I know you know I'm not telling the truth!**

 **Jeremy: Roxanne can go #$% herself. Seriously, she already loves death, why not make it a #$% fest and kill everyone?** (Shakes his head.) **I need to find a way in proving that I'm not a liar. Roxanne is just confusing Gracie more and she doesn't need that. Maybe if Boomer's still on my side…**

 **Gracie:** (Frowning.) **What did Roxanne mean 'you're the liar'?** _ **I'm**_ **not the one deceiving anyone! Randall or Jeremy are the ones confusing me! Maybe she meant that I'm over thinking things… I don't know…**

 **(Undisclosed Location)  
**

Inside their office, Blainely was watching the live footage from Fire Island while Quiltal was sitting off to the side, using one of his swords to carve something into the wall. Blainely glanced over at the strange man as he worked. "Bored?" she asked him.

"In a sense," Quiltal responded, his smile never faltering. "Believe it or not, I've been alive for a very long time. I can only do so much to keep myself occupied. Organizing this show has kept my attention away from things I would regret… for a minute."

Blainely raised an eyebrow. "A minute? You've been with us for a few weeks getting the islands set up," she pointed out.

"True. To a mere human, it had been several weeks," Quiltal said, slicing another cut into the wall. "But, I did not gain my full title by being merely human. I've had to do some… demonic deeds to get to where I am. Therefore, time moves slower for me so long as I keep committing demonic deeds."

Blainely continued to look at Quiltal. "What kind of deeds?" she asked. She gasped as a sharp pain sliced her arm. She glanced down to find a small cut dripping blood was on her arm. She looked back at Quiltal, who had drawn his second sword without her noticing. The sword was pointing in her direction, Quiltal's smile twitching.

"You ask _way_ too many questions," Quiltal said simply, sheathing his second sword. "You need not know who I am or what I've done. What you need to know is this: my title is Quiltal the Youthful and I want the items I sent you to seek. Focus on your show as much as you like. But if I don't get those items… I will kill you."

Blainely gulped. "Yes sir," Blainely said and went back to the screens. _Chris, you better find those keys soon, or Quiltal won't be the only one on a murderous spree,_ Blainely thought to herself.

 **(Lying Lava)**

Tristen was currently rowing as fast as he could to catch up to the Valiant Volcanoes. Bernard was currently crushed by Asszilla, so Angelina took his place. They weren't going as fast as they could have, but Tristen tried to keep up the pace.

"Come on Mr. Boss! Paddle like your chance at this game depends on it!" Angelina chanted.

"My chance at this game _does_ depend on it," Tristen chuckled. "We are only two out of five. Sure, I doubt Bruce will ally with Nora, but he won't ally with us either since I 'backstabbed' him. Bernard is crazy and Nora… is Nora."

Angelina though this over for a few minutes. "Asszilla makes three votes!" she said with a giant grin. "We can convince him to vote with us!"

Tristen chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry Angelina, I doubt Asszilla would be allowed to vote. We have to count the human bodies, not the bodies of every animal we have on this team."

"Aw!" Angelina pouted. "What about Nora? She's not crazy or Bruce! Therefore… not anyone we hate!"

Tristen paused for a moment. "Like I said, Nora's Nora," he said simply. "I guess we can _try_ talking to her…"

"Correct: Dance with trees," Angelina said simply.

"Er… ok," Tristen said with a chuckle. "I guess we'll have to look into dancing with trees then… and then talk to Nora."

Angelina cocked her head. "We're going to talk to Nora? Who gave you that idea? Because that sounds awesome!" she giggled.

 **Confessional: Laughing is great!**

 **Tristen: Angelina's a bit random and doesn't have the best memory in the world… but hey, she's funny and great fun. I can't really hate this girl. I mean, I can see why Bruce doesn't like her… except for the fact I can't. How can anyone hate someone so adorably random? I just don't see it, I really don't.**

 **Angelina: You know what I like more than dancing with trees? Dancing trees… wearing hulu skirts! What could be better than that?! Nothing!** (Giggles.)

After a few minutes of suffocating underneath Asszilla, Bernard finally managed to squirm out from under him. Bernard gasped for breath, slowly making his way over to Nora. "I think… I'm going… to die," he breathed. "Please… may I have… one last request?"

"You aren't dying," Nora said. "The donkey might be heavy, but nothing about you is broken. And no, I will not let you touch my ass, not even if you were really dying."

Bernard scowled and groaned. "Why does the universe hate me so much? What did I even do? What did I do to make everything turn against me?!"

Nora thought it over for a minute. "Perhaps it's the fact that you skip your counseling appointments, torture women who don't deserve it, and constantly deny having problems when you obviously do? Just guessing."

Bernard scowled angrily. "I. Don't. Have. Problems!" he screamed angrily.

Bruce glanced back at Bernard. "You know, I hate admitting anything Nora says is remotely right… but she's right. You have problems," Bruce said.

"I DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS!" Bernard screamed.

"You named your donkey Asszilla," Bruce said flatly. "You have problems."

"Not my donkey! He's Angelina's!" Bernard called. "And Asszilla is a great name for a donkey! Don't judge me! I still don't have problems!"

Nora looked over at Bruce. "He has problems," she said to him.

"I know," Bruce confirmed, rolling his eyes.

 **Confessional: Is Bernard the only one who doesn't know he has problems?**

 **Bernard:** (Takes several deep breaths.) **It's ok… everything is absolutely ok… no one thinks you have problems… you don't have problems… I DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS #$%IT! No one can say otherwise… BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS!**

 **Nora: Bernard has problems. Nothing much more to say.** (Leaves the confessional.)

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer and Kellie were still making their massive progress as they rowed pretty much as one. Boomer and Kellie didn't dare speak a word to each other. Kellie was still thinking over her feelings while Boomer was being quiet out of respect for Kellie.

"Hey Boomer?" someone asked. Boomer looked up to see Gracie approach him. Boomer smiled and gestured for her to continue. Gracie smiled at him gratefully and continued. "How have you been? It's been a while since we last spoke."

"I'VE BEEN NORMAL!" Boomer said with a smile. "I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS AND ALL THAT! I'VE HEARD SOME… CONFUSING RUMORS THAT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NORMAL AS CAN BE!"

Gracie's smile faltered. "Let me guess. Randall said Jeremy was a no good evil doer?" Gracie guessed.

Boomer blinked. "YEAH! THAT'S EXACTLY IT!" Boomer said. "HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?!"

"Randall told me that exact same thing," Gracie sighed. "Boomer… what should we do? Is Randall being truthful or is Jeremy? I've been friends with Jeremy longer… but what if everything we know about him is just one giant lie?"

Boomer thought this over for a moment, putting his chin in his hand. "I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW OUR GUTS!" Boomer answered. "I THINK THAT, DESPITE WHAT RANDALL SAYS, JEREMY IS STILL A GOOD GUY! I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO GRACIE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART, NOT WHAT PEOPLE TELL YOU TO DO!"

Gracie thought about this for a moment. "Wow Boomer… that was really deep and profound. Thanks," she said with a smile.

Boomer smiled back at her. "I MIGHT BE LOUD AND NOT HAVE A LOT OF PERSONALITY, BUT I DO HAVE A CONSCIENCE! I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD GO WITH WHATEVER I FEEL IS RIGHT! RIGHT NOW, JEREMY IS STILL MY FRIEND, EVEN THOUGH HIS VALIDITY IS BEING CALLED INTO QUESTION! I WON'T JUDGE WHAT YOU THINK OR WHAT YOU DO, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'LL BE TRUE TO YOURSELF!"

Gracie's smile widened. "Has anyone ever told you how great of a guy you are?" Gracie asked.

"YEP! ALTHOUGH, I NEVER GET SICK OF HEARING IT!" Boomer chuckled.

 **Confessional: Or in his case, reading it off lips.**

 **Boomer: BACK AT HOME, I'M NORMALLY THE VOICE OF REASON! PEOPLE DON'T TRY TO PERSUADE ME TO DO ONE THING OR ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY KNOW I WILL FOLLOW MY MORAL COMPASS EVERY TIME! IF IT TURNS OUT JEREMY DID INDEED THREATEN RANDALL OR DID SOMETHING TO HIM, THEN I WON'T HESITATE TO VOTE FOR HIM. BUT UNTIL ACTUAL PROOF IS PRESENTED TO ME, JEREMY IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY PAL!**

 **Gracie:** (Smiling.) **Boomer really is a great guy. Just because he talks loudly doesn't mean he's threatening. I consider him to be a giant teddy bear. He might look mean… but he's really harmless once you get to know him a little bit better.**

 **Kellie:** (Looks like she's pondering something.) **Boomer has set standards… he doesn't seem like he'll ever back out of them. So why, oh why, does he** _ **persist**_ **in trying to be my friend and making me feel… WHATEVER THIS IS?! WHAT ARE YOU #$% DOING TO ME BOOMER!?**

Jeremy continued to row the boat calmly as he thought to himself. Unlike most would think, Jeremy wasn't thinking about the game. He was thinking about what Roxanne said. _Gracie's the liar? That doesn't make any sense. Gracie's the victim of Randall's well placed lie. Then again, Roxanne_ is _mentally insane. I shouldn't buy too deeply into what she says to begin with,_ Jeremy thought to himself.

"Oh, I'm not crazy," Roxanne said, bobbing her head back and forth with a crazy smile.

"Huh… could've fooled me," Jeremy said flatly, then paused. "Wait… how did you know that's what I was thinking?"

"I can read minds," Roxanne giggled. "Actually, when you think about me, I noticed that a certain vein in your neck sticks out. When I get the privilege in killing you, I'm going to make you bleed out through that vein. Exciting, right?!"

"Riveting," Jeremy said flatly. "Hard to believe that you're sane."

"Oh, I'm 100% sane," Roxanne said with a smile. "Everything I do is by choice! Blinding my hamster? My choice! Suffocating my aunt? My choice! Cutting out my reproductive organs? Less my choice, but I consented to it! Everything I do is my choice!"

Jeremy frowned. "Then why kill?" he asked. "If you can think for yourself, then why kill innocent people and creatures?"

Roxanne giggled, looking at Jeremy lustfully. "Oh Jeremy," she said. "Did it ever cross your mind… that I _need_ to kill?"

Jeremy stared at Roxanne blankly. However, inside his head, he was very much afraid. _No way is this girl sane,_ he thought to himself. _She might be able to think for herself and make rational choices, but she's lost it._

 **Confessional: So… No Roxanne/Sarge babies?**

 **Jeremy: I'm starting to realize… Roxanne's not as dumb as she appears to be. Roxanne might actually be** _ **intelligent.**_ **That's scarier than the Roxanne I** _ **thought**_ **we were dealing with. If Roxanne can** _ **plan**_ **and** _ **correct her mistakes**_ **… #$%. We aren't dealing with an idiotic psycho. We're dealing with a naive** _ **intelligent**_ **psycho.**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggles.) **I'm thinking of killing Kellie after Jeremy. Maybe I can get Kellie's blood to literally boil to the point she literally explodes all over Jeremy's carcass. That would be… so hot!** (Giggles.) **Pun!**

The Lying Lava had flowed into the lake, the island on the horizon. The Valiant Volcanos sailed to the far side of the island, leaving a spot wide open for the Lying Lava. Tristen and Angelina guided the boat to the side of the island and stopped. "Alright, we should send three of us to retrieve the key and leave two here to keep the boat in place," Tristen said.

"I'll stay," Bruce volunteered.

"Me too!" Angelina volunteered.

" #$%, I wanted to stay!" Bernard whined.

"But Asszilla wants to go on a walk!" Angelina pouted. "You can't leave your donkey unattended, no can you Bernard?"

Bernard thought this over for a moment… before smirking. "Come on Asszilla. I need a ride," Bernard said, scrambling out of the boat. Asszilla promptly followed his master out of the boat. Tristen kept the boat steady as the donkey left.

"I guess that leaves Nora and I to be the other two to go," Tristen acknowledged.

"I can live with this," Nora nodded and got out of the boat, Tristen following right behind her.

On the other side of the island, the Valiant Volcanos parked their boat carefully next to the island. "Alright, two of us should stay here and guard the boat," Jeremy said once they were situated. "Who should go?"

"I'LL GO!" Boomer volunteered. "I HAVE A LOT OF STAMIA PENT UP STILL!"

"I'll go too," Gracie said, avoiding Jeremy's gaze. "It's not like I'm doing anything on this boat anyways. Might as well make myself useful."

"I'm staying," Kellie said firmly. "Because… REASONS #$%IT!"

Jeremy and Roxanne looked at each other. "I could kill you and take your place on the search party!" Roxanne said with an evil grin.

"Congratulations, I'm staying here," Jeremy said, sending Gracie and Boomer apologetic looks. "Hurry back with the key. We can start a winning streak yet!"

 **Confessional: Either kill me and go search or don't kill me and go search? What one do you** _ **think**_ **I would choose?**

 **Tristen: I think the only reason Bernard didn't make more of a fuss was because Asszilla can act as a makeshift ride for him. In other words, he doesn't have to do any work whatsoever.** (He sighs.) **Bernard has a problem.**

 **Bernard:** (Eye twitches.) **There's been a disruption in the universe.**

 **Bruce: This is perfect. I can convince Angelina Tristen is bad news while he's gone with the others. It's times like these where I can see little miracles at work. If Morgan's awake by the end of this show, then I can truly say that this show is a miracle in helping me spread the message of not taking a side.**

 **Jeremy: Either I went with the others and risked getting killed by Roxanne or let Roxanne go. What did you** _ **think**_ **I was going to choose? I just hope Boomer and Gracie can forgive me for this…**

 **Gracie: So Jeremy goes on and on about how he isn't a bad guy, and yet he sticks us with Roxanne?** (Sighs.) **Come on Jeremy… whose side are you on?**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina was hopping around in the boat with a smile on her face. "Tune! Imps! Mangos! Panties!" Angelina giggled. "I have that last one!"

"I'd be concerned if you didn't," Bruce said flatly. "Listen, I have a little proposition for you."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you make your business famous," Angelina said seriously. "I tried doing that once for a friend of mine and we somehow ended up in our underwear in the subway begging for snails to make money off of snail races."

Bruce blinked. "I did not need that mental image," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "No, not a business proposition. An alliance proposition."

Angelina cocked her head. "But I'm with Mr. Boss! I'm not going to cheat on him!" Angelina gasped.

Bruce frowned. "Wait… you two are dating?" Bruce asked, inwardly grumbling.

"Why else would I have this avocado?" Angelina asked, holding up an avocado.

"Er… I was _going_ to ask you to vote Tristen off. He's a power threat and all," Bruce said.

"What part of, 'I have an avocado' don't you understand?" Angelina asked seriously. "Mr. Boss is my friend/boyfriend! Why would I vote for him?"

 _#$%. I didn't account for those two to be dating. Now what?_ Bruce thought to himself. He thought this over for a moment before smirking. "How about you vote for Bernard?" Bruce suggested.

"Huh?" Angelina asked, obviously intrigued.

"Simple. We both vote for Bernard. That way you don't have to worry about him going after your ass," Bruce said. "If we do do this though, we have to keep it a secret. Only we can know, ok?"

Angelina thought about this. "I _do_ hate stray finger fries," Angelina nodded, then smiled. "Sure! I'll go to the frog wedding with you!"

"That's what I… actually, I didn't see that one coming. I'll just take that as a yes," Bruce said, rolling his eyes in a frustrated tone.

 **Confessional: Since when did the frogs get engaged?**

 **Angelina: Nope, sorry fangirls! I'm not dating Mr. Boss! I mean, what kind of inappropriate relationship would that be? He's my boss and I'm his hot employee? That would just be so super scandalous! I just wanted to see the look on Bruce's face if he thought we were dating. It was priceless!** (Giggles.)

 **Bruce: No, I'm not backstabbing Bernard. If Angelina refuses to vote for Tristen, I just need to get her to throw away her vote. Nora and Tristen aren't close, so I doubt they'll align. With three stray votes and two solid ones, Tristen will be the only one on the chopping block.** (Smirks.) **I do my best work under pressure and I still don't take a side.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Jeremy was resting in the middle part of the boat while Kellie continued to ponder over her emotions in the back. Kellie seemed frustrated with what she was thinking. _All I know is anger… and yet… what is this feeling I get whenever I'm near Boomer?_ Kellie thought to herself. _I've never felt this before… WHAT THE #$% IS IT?!_

"ARGH!" Kellie screamed aloud. Jeremy jumped and looked back at Kellie fearfully. Kellie sighed and took a few calming breaths. "Sorry… I got angry."

"I didn't even do anything," Jeremy sighed.

"No, not about you dumb #$%," Kellie grumbled. "I've been… feeling something lately. It's not anger, it's… something else. I don't know what it is and it… TICKS ME OFF!" she screamed.

"I totally didn't notice how angry you were just now," Jeremy said sarcastically. "Don't rip my head off if I'm wrong, but even if anger is your defining trait, don't you have other emotions?"

Kellie frowned. "I'm so tempted to rip your head off," Kellie grumbled. "Yes, I can feel other emotions. Do I? Not often. I'm mostly angry."

"I never could have guessed," Jeremy said, rolling his eyes. "So what's this emotion you're having trouble with?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be TICK OFF!" Kellie screamed.

"I'm pretty sure you'd still be ticked off no matter what you knew," Jeremy said flatly. "When did you start noticing this emotion?"

"Yesterday morning when Boomer came to talk to me," Kellie said.

"When did you feel it last?"

"When I was talking to Boomer back here."

"When do you feel this emotion?"

"Whenever I'm talking to Boomer."

Jeremy chuckled. "Oh boy… no wonder you're ticked off," Jeremy said. "I think I know what you're feeling… and I'll tell you… just promise not to toss me in the lava, alright?"

"Fine."

"You have a crush on Boomer."

Silence.

"Wow, you're taking this quite…"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

"I spoke to soon…"

 **Confessional: So wait… is Jeremy dead?**

 **Jeremy: I'm not dead! I somehow survived!** (Pauses.) **Ok, I admit, I was saved by the fact I told Kellie I was joking. She yelled at me for a few more seconds, but she relented and didn't throw me into the lake.** (Pauses then smirks.) **She totally has a crush on Boomer though.**

 **Kellie:** (Looks super ticked off.) **I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON BOOMER! I HATE HIS GUTS! I DON'T GIVE A #$% ABOUT HIS ASS! I WANT HIM TO BURN IN HELL!** (Stops ranting and takes a few deep, calming breaths.) **No, I didn't mean that… what's wrong with me?!**

On the island itself, Tristen and Nora were walking toward the center. Burned trees covered the entirety of the island, looming evilly above them. As Tristen and Nora walked, Bernard rode Asszilla with a huge smile on his face.

"This is the respect I deserve!" Bernard chuckled as Asszilla walked forward. "Asszilla, this is the start of one beautiful friendship." Asszilla whinnied, making Bernard smile.

"I never would have remotely guessed that out of our entire team, Bernard would be the one who got a pet," Tristen said. He then chuckled. "I guess if anything, it had to be an ass."

"Haha," Nora said humorlessly. "For your information, I knew the entire time he was getting a pet. I saw it in the ways of the universe."

"How does that work anyway?" Tristen asked. "Are you psychic or are you really that observant? I'm kind of fascinated by it really."

Nora looked shocked at this. "You… really want to know?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Tristen smiled. "I may be focused on physical things and getting my adrenaline up, but I love random tidbits of information about other's too."

Nora still seemed shocked by this. However, after a moment, a small smile appeared on her face. "Ok then," she said. "Redrick taught me to observe my surroundings. He taught to deconstruct every aspect of a person and their actions to observe who they are or who they were. Everything I say is speculation on top of things I've observed of a singular person."

Tristen nodded in understanding. "So, here's a question I have for you. Have you ever been wrong about your predictions before?"

Nora suddenly went rigid. "One time," she said, her tone grim. "I made sure I was never wrong since."

 **Confessional: That got serious fast**

 **Nora: Don't go thinking I'm perfect. I do things every day I do not wish I had to do. But I must do as Redrick says** _ **and not be wrong**_ **. It is my choice and I will stick with this choice or suffer the consequences that follow betrayal… but I will not betray Redrick.**

 **Bernard: Isn't Asszilla the best? Everything I once said about donkeys is a load of #$%. They're great, they're fun, and they help me with my ever laziness. If I were an animal, I'd be a donkey with a pet donkey to ride upon.**

Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, Roxanne, Boomer, and Gracie were making their way toward the center as well. Gracie nervously walked next to Boomer as Roxanne walked up to a tree and put her ear next to it. Roxanne smiled evilly. "I think something slow roasted to death in here!" she called cheerfully.

"She scares me," Gracie gulped.

"ME TOO! GOOD THING WE'RE VOTING FOR HER IF WE LOSE THE CHALLENGE, HUH?!" Boomer asked with a relieved smile.

"Um… maybe?" Gracie said. "I still don't know if I should trust Jeremy or Randall yet…"

"TAKE YOUR TIME! YOU'LL COME TO THE RIGHT DECISION EVENTUALLY!" Boomer said with a grin. "EXCEPT… COULD WE MAYBE POSTPONE YOUR DECISION UNTIL ROXANNE'S GONE?! SHE KIND OF SCARES ME A LOT!"

"Me too," Gracie shivered. "Alright, I'll vote for Roxanne if we lose. But after that, I'm not voting your way until I figure out who's telling me the truth."

"SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!" Boomer saluted.

"Hey, what's this?" Roxanne asked. The group of three had entered what appeared to be a clearing. In the center of the clearing was a giant, round handle with an eight shaped hole in it. It was an orangish red color and had a symbol of fire in the center of the eight hole. Roxanne grabbed the handle and pulled. The object didn't budge.

"THAT'S A BUST!" Boomer said, disappointed.

Roxanne giggled. "Oh well! The least I can do with it is impale one of you! Or both! Who wants to go first?" she asked.

"Wait!" Gracie said. "Chris said we were looking for a key, right? Try turning it, then pull."

Roxanne shrugged, but did as Gracie had instructed. Sure enough, the object turned, and when Roxanne pulled, it came straight out. It was a long key with two flame shaped teeth at the end of it. Roxanne admired the key with a smirk.

"Best. Sword. Ever!" she said, then bared her teeth. "Who should I stab first?"

Boomer and Gracie paled. " #$%," Gracie said.

"BYE ROXANNE!" Boomer yelled. He grabbed Gracie into his arms and started to bolt for it. Roxanne laughed madly and chased after them. What the group of three didn't know was that someone had witnessed this.

 **Confessional: Let's kill people with household objects now.**

 **Roxanne:** (Brandishing her key.) **This thing is so cool! I've never killed someone with a key before! I wonder if it's the same as impaling people with giant scissors… only one way to find out!**

 **Boomer: I REGRET LETTING ROXANNE GRAB THE KEY! I REGRET IT ALL! ANYWAY, OVERALL, IF WE WIN THIS CHALLENGE, WE'LL BE PRETTY GOLDEN FOR THE NEXT FEW CHALLENGES! THEN AGAIN, IF CONTESTANTS ARE BEING SAT OUT TO EVEN OUT THE TEAMS, IT JUST MEANS THAT LESS OF US COMPETE EVERY CHALLENGE, SO MAYBE NOT SO GOOD AFTER ALL!**

 **Tristen: Danggit… Bruce won't be very happy we didn't get the key. But I have an idea on how to steal it from the Valiant Volcanos. Now I just have to convince Bruce that it's a good idea…**

 **(Topher's Trailer)**

Topher opened his trailer door, now dressed in his normal attire. He was carrying out a big tub of laundry, which was soaking wet. Topher walked outside a little ways and dropped the basket. He made his way back to his trailer when he heard a giggle.

"Perks of a heated island, huh?" Sammy asked, walking up to him.

"Yep. No clotheslines for us. Just hot air," Topher responded with a grin. "How are you spending your day off? I'm taking care of all the chores I put of up until now."

"I'm… enjoying not being around my sister," Sammy said with a hesitant grin. "Please don't tell her I said that though! She'd kill me!"

"Hey, don't worry," Topher vowed. "I won't breathe a word to her about what you said. Besides, not having her around me is like heaven. Not that Amy would be in heaven to begin with," he chuckled.

Sammy let out a sigh of relief. "You think she's demon spawn too?" Sammy asked.

"Think? She pretty much torture raped you the entirety of our season _and_ she _continued_ to torture rape you _after_ the season. I only know because, well… never mind. Point is, Amy's a #$%," Topher said.

A tear fell from Sammy's eye as she smiled. "You have no idea how happy that makes me right now," she said to him. "Hey… she hasn't… threatened you at all, has she?"

Topher thought about something for a moment. "Yes, she has," Topher said after a moment of thinking.

"Have you… followed her conditions?"

Topher stifled a smirk. "Nope. Not one bit. In fact… I broke her condition today while she's off with Chris," he said to her.

Sammy's eyes widened. "Whoa… I've never met someone who openly stood up to her before," Sammy said with a smile.

Topher was about to respond when his pocket vibrated. Topher reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He had a text from Amy. It read: _Chris wants you to get your ass down to the challenge area. No more slacking for you, #$%. –Amy_

"Sorry, I have to go," Topher grumbled. "I'll talk to you later though."

"S-s-s-sure," Sammy said, slightly disappointed. "I'll be here…"

 **(Lying Lava)**

"So, in other words, you failed us and we should hold you responsible for losing this challenge," Bruce said flatly. Tristen and the other two had returned from the island and were currently rowing as fast as they could to catch the Valiant Volcanoes.

"Last I checked, I'm the one doing most of the work," Tristen grumbled. "Bernard was crushed by Asszilla, you only complain, Angelina's doing her job right, and Nora's… actually, I don't think she's done anything wrong in this challenge yet."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Shut up," Bruce grumbled. "As far as I'm concerned, all of this will end in your fault. And trust me, I'm going to enjoy seeing you go down."

"Guys, shut up," Bernard said. He was currently paddling the boat as he sat on top of Asszilla, who was on his knees. "I'm trying to plan out my plan for world domination by only using Asszilla as my one true ally."

"Um…how's that working for you Bernard?" Tristen asked.

"So far I can take over this island, that's a fact," Bernard said. "But after that, I need resources. Asszilla can help me a little bit, but I need a brain."

Bruce let out a small laugh. "At least on the bright side, he's not on a side," Bruce commented.

"He's independent. He's his own side," Tristen said. "By not choosing a side, in a sense, you become your own side. Truly not choosing a side would mean someone should not even hear about the issue in the first place."

Bruce shut his mouth and glanced carefully at Tristen. "I still blame you for the challenge," he finally said.

"Because that wasn't expected at all," Tristen chuckled, rolling his eyes.

 **Confessional: Way to move past your differences.**

 **Bruce: Tristen is far too good for his own good. He accepts Bernard even though he's probably an evil scumbag. Then again, accept would be a lose term, but I digress. The fact I'm targeting Tristen now is going to benefit this game in the long run, since I'm positive Tristen's going to be a problem later on in the game.**

As Bernard was now back in rowing mode on top of Asszilla, Angelina had a bit of free time. She was currently at the very front of the boat, watching the ripples of the lava float outward from the boat as it sailed onward. "This is nice," she said, breathing in deeply.

"You miss calm times like these," Nora noted from behind her.

Angelina turned around and smiled. "Yeah… times where I can just relax and calm down," she said with a smile. "I love being hyper, it's who I am, but nice views like this… they're nice too."

Nora looked carefully at Angelina before nodding. "You're hyper because it compensates for home, doesn't it?" Nora asked. Angelina visibly winced, which all but confirmed Nora's statement. Nora was about to ask something else… when she stopped. "I know how you feel," she said.

Angelina perked up and looked over at her. "You do?" she asked.

"We are more in common than I would like to admit," Nora said firmly. "But I admit… I do wish you and I were friends off the show. If I was _allowed_ to make friends."

Angelina thought this over. "Well… how about dance buddies?" she asked with a giggle. "Not friends, just people who happen to dance together!"

A small smile entered Nora's face. "I think I can tolerate that," Nora said.

 **Confessional: Tolerate Owen!**

 **Angelina: I'm really good at this friend thing, huh? So far I've befriended Mr. Boss, Boomer Sherry, Asszilla, maybe Bernard, and Nora! Maybe Bruce will want to join us in our little friend bang!** (Giggles.)

 **Nora: Get close and destroy… how much of a monster can I be? Redrick raised me to be a monster… but can I really step up and fill those shoes? Not filling those shoes will have consequences… but can I destroy someone as innocent as Angelina to save someone else just as innocent from unimaginable pain? Redrick… you play a sick game.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

As the Valiant Volcanos sailed back up the river, everyone had mixed feelings. They were all happy they had the key, but they were all nervous because _Roxanne_ had the key. Luckily she couldn't play with it as she was helping row the boat. But that didn't keep her from _thinking_ about it.

Out loud.

"Maybe I can saw one of you in half with it!" Roxanne giggled. "That would be exciting! I'd just watch your insides pour from your jagged cuts… so awesome!"

"NOT THE WORD I WOULD USE!" Boomer said fearfully.

"Hey, I almost forgot! You guys want to see one of my exs?" Roxanne said with a grin.

Gracie fearfully moved as far away from Roxanne as possible. "Do you have his kidney in your pocket?" she asked, keeping in her lunch the best she could.

"No silly!"

"Thank #$%," Kellie said, sighing in relief.

"I have this!" Roxanne said, pulling out… a face. A decay rotten face, to be more precise.

 **DING DING!**

"NOW?! #$% #$%IT!" Kellie roared.

 **Song 4: Face (Similar tune to** _ **Somebody I Used to Know**_ **)**

 **Jeremy: There's this girl I know right her on this boat.**

 **Gracie: She's not one we tend to talk to.**

 **Boomer: WE TRY TO AVOID HER WHEN WE CAN!**

 **Kellie: But these #$% people make us stay with her!**

 **All: And now we're all in the can!**

 **Chorus**

 **Roxanna: Do you want to eat this face!?**

 **It's kind of old but I think it tastes pretty good!**

 **You don't have to scoot away!**

 **It's just a face and it makes me good!**

 **Kellie:** Someone let me hit her with an oar! Let me just conk her on the head and get this #$% torture over with!

 **(Music solo)**

 **Jeremy: I don't think we're going to survive this.**

 **Boomer: I KIND OF AGREE BECAUSE THAT FACE IS CREEPY!**

 **Gracie: Is it wrong I want to jump overboard?**

 **Kellie: No it's not because I want to toss that #$% off a cliff!**

 **All: Because if we don't, she's going to kill us!**

 **Chorus**

 **Roxanne: Do you want to eat this face?!**

 **It's kind of old but I think it tastes pretty good!**

 **You don't have to scoot away!**

 **It's just a face and it makes me good!**

 **Kellie:** Somebody take away that face and shove it up Roxanne's ass!

 **Jeremy:** That would require touching it.

 **Kellie:** Oh… yeah, let's not do that.

 **(Music Solo)**

 **Boomer: ROXANNE IS A GIRL WHO I BELIEVE HAS PROBLEMS!**

 **Jeremy: That's putting it really lightly dude.**

 **Gracie: That face is gross and I think it can kill us all.**

 **Kellie: WHY THE #$% WOULD SHE WANT US TO EAT IT?!**

 **All: Because she wants us all to die!**

 **Chorus**

 **Roxanne: Do you want to eat this face?!**

 **It's kind of old but I think it tastes pretty good!**

 **You don't have to scoot away!**

 **It's just a face and it makes me good!**

 **Kellie:** Put that #$% face back in your #$% pocket!

The four non-Roxanne contestants shivered at how chilling that song was while Roxanne reluctantly put the face back into her pocket. "I thought this would make us friendlier so when I kill you guy you won't be upset with me!" Roxanne pouted.

"You're a mass murderer who wants to kill us all," Kellie said in an uncharacteristic calm. "OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO BE UPSET WHEN YOU KILL US! AND WHAT THE #$% MADE YOU THINK THAT WE COULD BE FRIENDS?! YOU WANT TO KILL US!"

"I SECOND THAT!" Boomer chimed in.

"You shut up, I'm trying to keep my anger down and you aren't helping!"

 **Confessional: Worst. Song. Ever.**

 **Roxanne: Best song ever! It was even better than Burn, Burn! Too bad Kellie yelled at me to put my face away… it really did taste better than it looked! Honest!**

 **Boomer: I THINK ROXANNE IS CRAZY, BUT I ALSO THINK KELLIE'S ANGRY! I DON'T THINK THE TWO SHOULD BE MIXED TOGETHER! MAKES ME WONDER HOW THE TEAM DYNAMICS WOULD GO IF KELLIE WAS ON THE OTHER TEAM!**

As Roxanne was getting yelled at for her face, the finish line came into sight. Chris smirked. "And the Valiant Volcanos are in the lead!" Chris called.

"Yes!" Randall said with a smirk.

"Whatever," Amy grumbled.

However, something happened. Out of nowhere, the Lying Lava's boat charged forward. Standing at the head of the boat was Asszilla, Bernard sitting on top. "Full steam ahead!" Bernard yelled. The Lying Lava's boat slid up next to the Valiant Volcano's. As the team was too busy arguing to notice Tristen pull up next to them, they didn't make any attempt to escape.

Once Tristen was close enough, Angelina jumped onto the Valiant Volcano's boat with a rope tied across her waste. Angelina waved at Boomer, smiled at Roxanne, and grabbed the key. "Pull!" Angelina called.

Bruce and Nora, who both had one end of the rope, pulled as hard as they could. Angelina jumped and tumbled back into her own boat. Once Angelina was inside, Tristen furiously rowed the boat forward. Before the Valiant Volcanoes could do anything, the Lying Lava crossed the finish line.

"And… with that shocking twist of fate… the Lying Lava win immunity!" Topher said as he approached with a grin. He smirked over at Amy. "Miss me?"

"Die," Amy gagged.

The Valiant Volcanos sighed in disappointment as they got close to shore. Boomer, Kellie, and Gracie carefully got out of the boat and walked over to Randall, who looked ticked off. However, before Jeremy could get out, Roxanne slid in front of him.

"Hi!" she said and, in a Roxanne like fashion… pushed Jeremy backward. Jeremy tumbled backward and fell. Everything on his person fell in the boat…

…except for his left hand, which grazed the lava.

"ARGH!" Jeremy screamed in pain, quickly yanking his hand away from the lava, his hand already black. Topher immediately jumped into the boat, grabbed Jeremy, and pulled him out.

"Amy, go alert the medical tent!" Topher ordered.

"But it's so far!"

"NOW!"

Amy grumbled something but did as she was told. Chris looked at Jeremy's hand and shrugged. "It's just a burn," Chris said nonchalantly. "I'm sure Jeremy can still compete."

"Maybe, maybe not. Best we have the medics look at him first," Topher said.

Chris shrugged. "Your loss if we lose ratings," Chris said.

 **Confessional: Who expected that happening?!**

 **Topher: According to the contracts, I can't disqualify Roxanne. She didn't do anything that the contract said was illegal. I find this bogus, but as I don't have a law degree, I have no idea how to exploit anything in the contracts. As for Jeremy, according to the clause** _ **I**_ **was actually allowed to add, depending on how bad his injury, he can chose whether to stay or be medivacked. We'll just have to see. Also, to prevent more dangerous injuries, I forced Angelina to give the key to Chris. That thing looks dangerous and Chris can keep a decent eye on it.**

 **Nora: We won, as I so predicted. With no elimination looming, I can… relax. I have not relaxed… in a long, long time.**

 **Randall: I sit out** _ **one**_ **challenge… and everything falls into place!** (Laughs.) **This is great! If Jeremy's medivacked, no elimination! If he isn't, Boomer and Gracie are pawns under my thumb! This is a Christmas miracle!**

 **Boomer: UH OH! I HOPE JEREMY'S OK! I GUESS IF NO ONE WAS VOTING FOR ROXANNE BEFORE, THEY SURE ARE NOW! I BETTER GO CHECK ON JEREMY TO BE SURE THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS!**

 **(Medic Tent)**

"How bad is it?" Jeremy asked.

"According to the medics, it's a third degree burn," Topher sighed. "They said you're still fit to compete, you just need to come in for treatments every so often. I'll let you choose whether to quit the contest or continue to compete. If you chose to continue, your team will attend elimination tonight."

Jeremy thought it over and winced. "I might be in pain and my team might make me a target, but I should finish this game the right way. I'll compete still," Jeremy decided.

"Alright. If you need anything, let me, Chris, or Sammy know," Topher nodded and left the tent. The moment he left, Boomer walked inside with a grimace.

"HEY JEREMY! ARE YOU DOING OK?!" Boomer asked.

"No… I hurt like #$%," Jeremy grumbled. "But… I'm still in the contest. And you better #$% believe that I'm voting off Roxanne tonight!"

Boomer smiled. "GOOD TO HEAR! I WAS GOING TO VOTE HER OFF EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T!" Boomer said. "BESIDES, YOU'RE MY PAL! I WANT TO AVENGE YOU, EVEN IF RANDALL SAYS THAT YOU'RE A NO GOOD SCUM BAG!"

Jeremy sighed. "Randall lied to you too, huh?" Jeremy asked.

"I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE LIES! YOU'RE MY PAL! I'D BELIEVE YOU OVER HIM ANY DAY, EVERY DAY!" Boomer said with a smile.

Jeremy smiled. "Thanks Boomer. You're the best," Jeremy said.

 **Confessional: The best is the best.**

 **Boomer: THIS CONTEST GOT A LOT HARDER! MY BEST FRIEND IS INJURED SO I NEED TO UP MY GAME! I SHOULD PROBABLY UP THE STRATEGY TOO, SINCE JEREMY MIGHT BE TOO HURT TO DO IT! I'LL FOCUS ON TALKING TO KELLIE AND GETTING GRACIE BACK TOMORROW!**

 **Jeremy:** (His hand is in a cast and he's wincing.) **My hand still hurts like #$%... but I need to keep going. If I give up, then what does that prove? I might be hurt, but if I have to go down, I'm not letting it be Roxanne trying to kill me to be the end of me.**

 **(Outside)**

Gracie paced back and forth outside the Fire House. She was too nervous to see how Jeremy was doing and she was too afraid of Roxanne to go inside the house. "Oh… this is so bad!" Gracie groaned. "Roxanne's the real evil here… I should have never doubted Jeremy…"

"I agree! Even _I_ didn't see that coming!" Randall said, coming outside the house. "It must have been _Roxanne_ who cut my arms, not _Jeremy_. My bad."

"It's not your fault. Roxanne's a no good trickster murderer," Gracie sighed. "At least she's getting all the votes tonight, right?"

"Actually… I'm still voting for Jeremy," Randall said, hiding a smirk.

Gracie's eyes widened. "But… why?" Gracie asked.

"Simple. Jeremy's injured and not that good in challenges. Plus, he's hurt. He says he wants to stay, but should we really keep someone in pain here? I don't want him to think he has to be here," Randall said sneakily.

"But…" Gracie said, looking conflicted.

"Don't worry about it. If you don't want to, then don't. Just know that Jeremy will suffer if you don't vote him off the show," Randall warned and merely walked away.

 **Confessional: Sneaky little #$%.**

 **Randall:** (Laughs.) **This is great! Gracie's torn about how she feels and Roxanne's still my puppet! I think I like having these two wrapped around my thumb. I hope I can have a firm hold on them later, because, let's face it, this is far too fun!**

 **Gracie:** (Looks upset and conflicted.) **What do I do?**

 **(Fire House)**

Kellie was sitting on her bed, alone. She was looking up at the ceiling with a small smile. "Hmm… maybe I _do_ have feelings for him after all…" Kellie said to herself.

"Hi!" Roxanne said, walking over to her hidden room.

Kellie's eyes twitched. " #$%!"

 **Confessional: Short and sweet.**

 **Roxanne: I almost killed a guy today! Yay! I can fill out that I almost met my quota today! I sure will have to catch up when this contest is over, don't I?** (Giggles.)

 **Kellie:** (Looks ticked off.) **YOU ANGER ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU! YOU ANGER ME TWICE, YOU GET SO MANY VOTES AGAINST YOU THAT YOU'LL** _ **WISH**_ **YOU NEVER MADE ME ANGRY!**

 **(Eruption of Shame)**

The six remaining Valiant Volcanos had may their way to the Eruption of Shame. Everyone sat away from Roxanne except for Randall, who sat in-between them. Sammy awkwardly walked up to her podium. "So, um… I heard there was an accident today?" Sammy asked.

"More like intended harm," Kellie leered at Roxanne.

"Hey, it was still a bunch of fun!" Roxanne giggled.

"Um, so… I'll ask a few questions now," Sammy said. "Jeremy, are you alright?"

"I'm not going to die," Jeremy sighed. "Hurts like #$%, but what can I do? I just have to give it my all, despite the pain I feel right now."

Sammy smiled. "Kellie, are you going to hurt me?" Sammy asked.

"For once, no. I'm going to _kill_ Roxanne! TAKE THAT IRONY!" Kellie roared.

"R-R-R-R-Roaxnne, anything you would like to add?" Sammy asked nervously.

"Yeah! Do you want to eat this face?" Roxanne asked, pulling the face out of her pocket.

"No!" everyone shouted.

"Aw…"

Sammy shivered in fear. "Um… Boomer, you can start off the voting tonight," Sammy said nervously. Boomer nodded and walked over to the confessional to cast his vote.

After the last vote was cast, Sammy went to go tally the votes. Once they were counted, she brought back five burnt pieces of bacon. "If you don't, um, get a slice of bacon, you most immediately leave via the Eruption of Shame," Sammy said. "First safe is, uh… Randall."

"Kellie."

"Boomer."

"Gracie."

Jeremy and Roxanne both sat without a slice of bacon. They both looked confident as they looked at each other. "So, um, I have one more slice of bacon," Sammy said. "And the person who get's it is, um…

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Neither of you. It was a, um, tie," Sammy said awkwardly.

"Huh?" Jeremy asked. "But… Boomer, Kellie, and Gracie all voted for Roxanne! I know they did!" Boomer and Kellie both nodded in agreement. Gracie nervously hid her face.

"V-v-v-v-votes are votes," Sammy said with a sad smile. "Like with the idols, ties work the same. Jeremy, as you come first alphabetically, heads or tails."

"Tails," Jeremy said. Sammy nodded and pulled out a coin. She tossed it into the air and caught it. She set it on her hand and looked at it.

"Heads," Sammy said. Sammy reached down and pulled out a lighter and two scraps of paper. "Roxanne, which scrap do you want me to burn?"

Roxanne looked carefully at the two scraps of paper. "Hmm… burn the left one!" Roxanne said giddily. Sammy nodded and burned it. When it was completely incinerated, Sammy lifted the right scrap. After reading it, she nodded and set it back down.

"The person safe from elimination and will continue in the contest," Sammy said, "is, um…

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Roxanne," Sammy said nervously, tossing the girl the last slice of bacon.

Jeremy sighed and deflated. "Well, I wanted to try to give it my all. I guess my all wasn't my best," Jeremy said, standing up.

"I'LL MISS YOU MAN!" Boomer said. "I'LL TRY TO WIN IT FOR YOU!"

Jeremy gave Boomer a smile. "Thanks dude. You're a great friend," he said. He then looked at Gracie coldly. "I know you voted for me. I thought we were friends Gracie. I guess we aren't."

Jeremy walked up the Eruption of Shame and strapped himself inside. Sammy walked up with him and gave him a sad glance. "Jeremy, um, you finish the game in overall eleventh place," Sammy said nervously. She stomped hard and jumped out of the way. The Eruption of Shame exploded, sending Jeremy high up into the air and far away.

"Um… I guess even the good players can fail in ways they didn't take into account," Sammy said. "You guys can go."

 **Confessional: Go far, far away!**

 **Gracie:** (Her eyes are red.) **I shouldn't have voted for him… but I did… now I have to live with that decision now for the rest of the contest… what have I done…**

 **Randall: And Roxanne slips by another round. I have to say, I rock at this game. Maybe Chris should fire Topher and bring me in as host, because I wouldn't mind watching this kind of show up close all day and every day!**

 **Boomer: MY BEST FRIEND IS GONE! I GUESS NOW I'M ON MY OWN, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND STRATEGICALLY! I GUESS I KNOW WHAT I'LL BE DOING TOMORROW! GOOD THING GRACIE HAS MY BACK, MAYBE KELLIE TOO!**

 **Kellie:** (Takes a few deep, calming breaths.) **WHAT THE #$% JUST HAPPENED?!**

 **(Outro)**

Topher was standing in front of his trailer with a grim smile. "Well, we had our first injury. Believe it or not… that wasn't as fun as Chris made it seem," Topher sighed. "We have ten campers left, one of them a serial killer. What drama does that have in store? Will Boomer get in good with his team? Will Randall find himself in a position of power? Will Bernard take over the game with Asszilla? Can Bruce accomplish his 'no side' plan? And who will be voted off next? Find out next time on Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **Voting Confessional: Because credits!**

 **Boomer: I VOTE FOR ROXANNE! SHE'S NOT A GOOD PERSON AND SHE TRIED TO KILL JEREMY! RANDALL MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT JEREMY LATER ON, BUT ROXANNE'S A MURDERER! I'M DOING THIS NOT ONLY FOR MY SAFETY, BUT EVERYONE ELSE'S SAFETY!**

 **Gracie: I…I… I vote for Jeremy! Randall's right, he's in pain, despite wanting to continue. I can't just let my best friend suffer, so… I vote Jeremy.**

 **Jeremy: Roxanne, you are not right in the head. You need to go, and you need to go** _ **now**_ **. You almost killed me, and trust me, I very much want to stay alive. So, in case you didn't get it, I vote for Roxanne. Seriously, I'm surprised they didn't have a clause in our contracts that would get her disqualified for almost killing me.**

 **Kellie:** (Looks calm.) **I vote for Roxanne. AND SHE BETTER #$% GO THIS TIME #$% OR I'M GOING TO SUE SOMETHING'S ASS OFF!**

 **Randall:** (Laughs evilly.) **This was the** _ **best**_ **plan ever! Boomer and Gracie are going to vote for Jeremy and Roxanne and I are going to slip onto the next round! This is the** _ **life!**_ **I vote for Jeremy and all that business!**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggles.) **Nope, nope, naughty, naughty! You were supposed to die Jeremy! Now you have to suffer maximum punishment without death! And that makes me very sad… but that's ok! Gracie seems** _ **really**_ **upset! I'll just go kill her!** (Giggles.)

 **Lying Lava:** Angelina, Bernard, Bruce, Nora, Tristen

 **Valiant Volcanos:** Boomer, Gracie, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne

 **Eliminated:** Jackal (L), Tara (V), Sherry (L), Jeremy (V)

 **BN: Another episode done! I'm really happy how this fic is going! Sorry if this one is a little bit boring/dry, but I'm trying my best! Keep in mind it's my first OC fic, so this is mostly practice for me! So, one more chapter for this fic then I'll go back to TDASB for a little bit, so stay tuned!**

 **ELMINATION: JEREMY**

 **Jeremy was one of those characters with a stereo-type that added to the strategy base. Yeah, Jeremy was strategic, but I added something else (singing) on top of his strategy. It made him have a bit more character and have a bigger place with the ladies. I felt he did a lot of things in his short stay like:**

 **-be a good adversary to Roxanne**

 **-effect Gracie's character positively while he was in the game, but negatively when he left (namely helping Gracie with Tara while she was in the game)**

 **-give a voice of reason to the team that they could trust and follow**

 **-give someone Boomer could look up to as a leader**

 **-be something Randall could never hope to be**

 **-advertise that tenors are underrated.**

 **As you might notice, the only one Jeremy didn't directly effect on his team was Kellie. Jeremy was a very huge team player on the team he was on, and without him, the glue has been removed. His elimination was meant to do several things as well, such as:**

 **-lose the voice of reason between Randall, Boomer, and Gracie**

 **-rid the team of the only sane man**

 **-give Gracie and Boomer a chance to branch off (Or, in Gracie's case, lower her security)**

 **-give Roxanne a looser leash**

 **Overall, Jeremy was a great, strategic short term player. I was** _ **debating**_ **to medivack him, but there's a reason why I had him voted off. But, whether you loved him or despised him, Jeremy places eleventh place.**

 **Next Time:** We hold off on the contest and we go to the _U.S.S. Islander_ and we see Don interview the four previously eliminated contestants.


	10. A1: Mutual Complaints

**Disclaimer: I own only the 14 OCs that appear in this fic plus Quiltal.**

 **Poll: Go vote on my new poll for who you believe will be the person to win Total Drama Fire Island! Keep in mind it spoils everything up to this chapter! The voting will end by the time the next chapter is posted, right when TDASB reaches its third Aftermath.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And done! Aftermath chapters are surprisingly difficult to write, so the fact I came out with this one so fast was a shock even to me. With that aside, my little break is done. TDASB is going to be my main focus for a while. But enough of that. Enjoy the chapter everyone!**

Interviews. Because interviews.

A1: Mutual Complaints

It was about midnight in the middle of nowhere as a camera switched on over in the sky. A big fiery island came into view. The camera, however, zoomed in away from the island to instead a large boat circling off its coast. It was a cruise ship with the name _U.S.S. Islander_ painted onto the hull.

The camera zoomed in past the giant ship into a giant audience chamber. Several seats were designed into the room to face a giant stage. Each of these seats were filled by some audience member, who all looked excited. On the stage sat two chairs, one green and one pink. A set of giant blue padded bleachers sat behind the two chairs.

Sitting in the pink chair was a dirty blonde man wearing a green jacket. He had a calm and collected smile on his face as he addressed the audience. "Welcome everyone to the first Fire Island Aftermath!" the man announced. The cheering and applause roared, making the man grin.

"This evening we will interview the first four eliminated campers who dared try to survive the island of fire," the man continued, earning more applause. "Each one will be interviewed by me, who hosted the amazing Ridonculous Race!"

"Don! Don! Don!" the audience screamed, making Don's smile widen.

"What will we learn from these fallen contestants?" Don asked. "Was Jackal's plan always fated for failure? Was Tara secretly pleased she was voted off second? Does Sherry regret her decision? And how betrayed does Jeremy feel? Find out here on Total Drama Fire Island: The Aftermath!"

Massive cheering and applause sounded from the audience. Don sighed, continuing to smile. "Out of all the jobs… I'm so glad I picked this one," he whispered to himself.

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

The applause began to die down and Don returned to his seat with a grin. "Well, we sure have had a great start to this season," Don started. "We've had villains, attempts of murder, and so many random things we can't even count them all! We're guaranteed to have a packed night with our four interviewees."

"First up," Don continued, "is the first boot of the season. He tried to use his mask to play both sides of the contest, he went a bit overboard, he was found out by Nora, and he wasn't a happy first boot. I welcome to the stage Jackal Corokaroke!"

Little to no applause erupted as Jackal walked onto the stage. He was not wearing his mask and he looked a little ticked off. Jackal strode over to the green chair and sat down, glaring over at Don. When the little applause subsided, Jackal glared at the audience.

"I should have had the loudest applause," he grumbled to himself.

"Welcome to the aftermath Jackal. Before we start this, I just have to say, I personally applauded the fact you wanted to play both sides," Don complimented. "Not a lot of people try that angle."

"And I #$% see why they don't," Jackal grumbled. "Everything was going perfect too… I know who caused my downfall though. Now I just need to get her to pay…"

"Who _was_ your downfall? I do recall both Tristen and Nora trying to get rid of you," Don commented.

"You know, I hate the fact I even _had_ a downfall," Jackal grumbled. "I had this game in the palm of my hand! I seemed good, I seemed amazing, but behind the mask was the evil that haunts everyone's nightmares! But _no!_ Nora had to go and _see_ past the mask for who I truly was! So if I had to blame _one_ person, it'd be Nora."

Don chuckled. "Normally guys like women seeing who they truly are," he said.

"Not this #$% time," Jackal grumbled. "Don, let me explain this to you the way I see it. My plan was full proof. Nora, without even confronting me first, started to spread the rumor that I was evil since the start. Even if I _wasn't_ evil, I bet the other's _still_ would have voted for me."

"So you're saying that it wasn't even your fault that you got votes in the first place?" Don guessed.

"To sum it up in a sentence, yes," Jackal nodded.

"If Nora _was_ the one to be eliminated first instead of you, where would you have gone with your plan from the first episode onwards?" Don asked him.

"Probably make friends with Tristen and Angelina, only to shock the #$% out of them by tormenting the Hell out of them. I'd pick off everyone one by one and force Tristen and Angelina to stay loyal to me by using their paranoia," Jackal explained. "Seeing as they are the only solid duo on the team right now, I'd say that be the safest bet."

"Guess we'll never truly know," Don shrugged. "What would you have to say is your favorite part in the short time you stayed in the contest?"

"Probably pushing Angelina off that cliff," Jackal laughed. "It might have been what got me eliminated to begin with, but it was _totally_ worth it! I kind of wish she would have died, really. It would have saved me from elimination, right?"

"To be honest, death is the one sure thing that would get you disqualified," Don admitted. "The fact Roxanne is getting as far as she's getting is a pure mystery to a lot of us."

"Ah, Roxanne," Jackal smirked. "You want to hear my opinion on her?"

"By all means," Don nodded.

"When this show is over, I'm going to ask her out," Jackal laughed. "Seriously, her methods are… _thrilling_. Given my ability to word things correctly, I bet I could easily get her to be my girlfriend and not be dead within a few months. Plus… I wouldn't mind joining in on a few of her killing sprees every once in a while."

Don shivered. "Great, now we have two psychos," Don grumbled.

"I wouldn't go as far to say as I'm _psycho_. I simply know how to make things benefit me," Jackal said. "If the death of someone Roxanne kills is good for my future, then what's wrong with joining in with her? I seriously don't see the issue with this philosophy."

"If you don't see an issue with it… you have problems," Don sighed. "Who would you like to win Total Drama Fire Island?"

"Honestly? Roxanne. She's the only one who's playing this thing correctly. I would have _never_ thought of killing people in order to win the contest," Jackal chuckled. "Anything else you want to ask me?"

"Nope, that about wraps that up," Don said. "Although, if you don't mind, we have a few letters of fanmail to read for you, if you don't mind."

"Finally, fans who see the true glory of what I tried doing in the contest," Jackal sighed in relief. "How many letters did I end up receiving?"

"Twenty, give or take," Don shrugged. "We're required to read three on air, so the rest of the mail will be sent to your room."

"Fine by me," Jackal shrugged. Don nodded and reached into his jacket. He withdrew three letters, one colored green the other two white. Don opened one of the white ones and read it as follows:

 _Jackal,_

 _I don't actually think I_ get _your strategy. You said you wanted to play both good and evil. How can you do that if you mainly played the villain? If anything, all you were doing was pretending to be good and turned out to be a villain. I'd go as far to say that you are really only a Scarlett rip-off. This plan made no sense, and I'm kind of glad you didn't last that long._

 _Hartman_

Jackal scowled as Don finished the letter. "Pfft, please. My plan was #$% amazing. The fact you aren't intelligent enough to figure it out just makes you a stupid ass."

"If you say so," Don shrugged and opened the second white letter. It read as follows:

 _Jackal,_

 _Uh… who are you again? Are you the guy with the mask? Because you were confusing._

 _Dumbert_

"Pfft. Who names their #$% kid Dumbert?" Jackal said.

"Obviously dumb parents," Don chuckled, opening the green letter. It read as follows:

 _Jackal,_

 _As host of this season, I didn't select the campers. Overall, the drama produced by everyone else has progressed a lot better_ without _your plan which didn't seem to make much sense to begin with. I feel as though the season has benefited without you, so thanks for pissing Nora off._

 _Topher_

"What right does he have to say that #$%?!" Jackal screamed. "He's supposed to remain completely neutral! He's the #$% host!"

"Technically, Chris never really followed that rule," Don pointed out. "Plus, Topher didn't show bias… while you were in the contest. Since you are no longer his problem, he's free to say whatever the #$% he wants to say to you."

Jackal scowled. "Well… #$% him! My strategy was the best thing this show has ever seen, so he can go #$% off!"

Don waited patiently. "You done?"

"Yeah, I got it out of my system."

"Good. Well, you're interview is officially over," Don said. "Mind taking a seat on the bleachers behind me?"

"If I must. Keep in mind: none of these #$% are as interesting as I am!" Jackal said and went over to the bleachers.

"Jackal Corokaroke everyone!" Don said. There was a greater applause from the audience than from when Jackal came onto the stage. The reason for this was probably because Jackal was leaving. "Now then, next up is someone you might have seen before! She's a main character on My Little Brony, she knows Gracie all too well, she was victimized by Roxanne, and she was voted out second! All welcome Tara Armstrong!"

A huge applause sounded as Tara walked onto the stage. Tara grumbled some inappropriate words as she trudged over to the green chair. "Bunch of sappy #$%," Tara grumbled as she sat down.

"Tara, welcome to the Aftermath special," Don said with a charismatic smile. "How have you been holding up since your elimination?"

"Better than I was on the #$% show #$%it," Tara grumbled. "I hate TV… I hope this industry #$% burns to the #$% ground."

"Why is that? Haven't you been on TV since you first started acting?" Don asked her.

"Yes… and I wish that show would #$% itself!" Tara screamed.

" _My Little Brony!_ Yeah, I remember you. The company that owned that owns Total Drama," Don said with a smirk. "To be honest, I preferred Color Rush over Midnight Twinkle."

" _Everyone_ prefers Color Rush over Midnight Twinkle. Everyone _sane_ prefers Color Rush over Midnight Twinkle. My character was a #$% #$%! It's why I #$% hate TV!" Tara growled.

"This is probably just me being a jerk, but do you mind explaining to the audience what we are talking about?" Don asked.

Tara rolled her eyes. "Mr. Grill Ino, head of the person who made Total Drama, also made a show for his daughter, Gracie Ino, called _My Little Brony_ ," Tara grumbled. "The show was about six teenage girls who crush on guys who love girl TV shows. The cast featured Magenta Custard, an insane, mentally disturbed cupcake maker, Mutters, a timid girl who has far too many secrets for her own good, Color Rush, someone who gives people seizures with how #$% colorful she is, Apple Crab, a girl who eludes to not only apples but any #$% fruit she can #$% think of, Oddity, a girl who can't #$% make up her mind at what she wants to be, and then my #$% character, Midnight Twinkle, who's a #$% smartass."

"I love that show," Don said with a knowing smile. "I loved the episode where you fought over that one football player with Apple Crab because he liked bananas wearing tutus."

Tara groaned. "Of every #$% episode you could have brought up…" she grumbled. "Aren't you supposed to be interviewing me about _this_ show?"

Don sighed. "I supposed," he said. "What did you think of the contest Tara?"

"I #$% hated it! How else did you think I would think of this #$% show?" Tara growled. "TV needs to #$% burn!"

"And we're already back where we started," Don sighed. "Why though? If you could chose two things you could hate the most about this show, what two things would you hate this most?"

Tara thought this over. "Roxanne and Gracie," she finally decided. "The #$% tried to kill me and Roxanne is #$% nuts!"

Don raised an eyebrow. "Um… didn't Roxanne try to kill you too?" he asked her.

"Well yeah, but she's doesn't #$% matter as much as what Gracie did to me!" Tara growled. "Gracie made me suffer on that #$% show for _seven years!_ Grill Ino produced the show _for her!_ #$%, I think the only reason Gracie's on _this_ one is because Grill Ino came up with this show too!"

"Probable," Don agreed. "I still think Roxanne is the greater of the two evils that lead to your downfall."

"No, it was Gracie. She _forced_ me to be on television! I will _never #$% forgive that #$% #$%!_ "

Don winced at the language. "Ouch," he said. "Moving on from… that, let's talk about the game itself. Do you think you would've lasted longer if you mentioned your time on _My Little Brony_ more?"

"Maybe," Tara sighed. "Randall and Gracie knew who I was. I bet they would have sided with me if I didn't act like a #$%. But #$% that noise! I wanted off that #$% show as fast as #$% possible!"

"For working on a kids show, you sure do swear a lot," Don noted.

"Have to. Only thing that kept me #$% sane on that #$% show," Tara shrugged. "Don't you dare say that you haven't swore once the entire #$% time you've worked for this #$% show."

"Can't say I haven't," Don relented. "What do you think was the highlight of your stay on Fire Island? Or was there any to begin with?"

"My elimination," Tara said immediately. "I might have been shocked and complained about it at first, but really, it was a #$% blessing! I wanted off that piece of #$% so #$% bad, I was half tempted to let Roxanne #$% kill me! Good thing it didn't have to come to that."

"Yes. We don't like law suits here on Total Drama. Too messy and sticky to work with," Don said.

"You're lucky I don't sue you for putting us with a #$% maniac!" Tara said, completely exhausted. "Anything else you #$% want to know, or can I be done now?"

"Two more things Tara, then we can be done," Don said. "Firstly, who would you want to win Total Drama Fire Island?"

" #$% kidding me? No one! This show should be #$% canceled for it being a complete monstrosity!" Tara screamed. "But… if I _had_ to choose one… Randall. He's might be a sneaky #$%, but at least he knows how to #$% defend himself."

"Good to know," Don nodded. He reached into his jacket and pulled out three more letters. "Mind if we go over some fanmail?"

"Yes, but you're probably going to #$% read it anyway," Tara grumbled.

"That I am," Don smirked. He opened the first white one and read it aloud. It read as follows:

 _Tara,_

 _I absolutely love you on My Little Brony! You're a great actress and you are the best! I love the episode where Midnight Twinkle tried to make Mutters fall in love with her brother so Midnight Twinkle could get her brother out of the house so she could watch the McHoty show! Midnight Twinkle is the best!_

 _Lily_

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Tara screamed. "That episode nearly drove me to #$% kill myself! It's times like these I not only hate the show I was a #$% part of, but the character I was #$% forced to play!"

"How about we pause on these letters and I ask you another question?" Don suggested. "Why is it you hate Midnight Twinkle so much?"

"She's a #$% smartass who only cares for herself! If what her friends are doing doesn't benefit herself, she doesn't even #$% care! Sorry kids, but Midnight Twinkle is a #$% #$%!"

"Now that you mention it, she really is," Don agreed. Don then grabbed the other white letter and tore it open. It read as follows:

 _Tara,_

 _I personally believe that the show My Little Brony is a complete disgrace to your name. Not only just you, but all your fellow characters as well. Magenta was an abomination, Mutters was bullied too much, Oddity was… odd, Color was an irrational #$%head, Apple Crab has daddy issues, and you were forced to be a #$%. I support your hatred of your show and I wish you luck in your future endeavors._

 _Toby_

"Finally! Someone who speaks sense!" Tara sighed in relief. "All of our roles portray us as just rotten to the core people. _Kids_ watch this show, but they don't understand the deeper meaning of the terrible things we were forced to do! It's appalling!"

"You know, you really should have advertised this on the show. It could have kept you around longer," Don noted.

"Yeah, now you tell me!" Tara groaned, face palming. Don merely shrugged at this and tore open the final letter, which was green. It read as follows:

 _Tara,_

 _I just have to say, I loved you in My Little Brony, just not as much as Magenta Custard! I do admit your character was really harsh against Mutters and I can't really approve of that. But, as it seems, your gameplay didn't really reflect how you acted in the show, so I guess I can forgive you. Kind of. You did place thirteenth out of fourteen, so that counts against you too._

 _Topher_

"That host you hired is a #$% man-baby," Tara grumbled. "Why the #$% did you hire him over someone sane?"

"Chris did the hiring. I'm just the Aftermath man and someone else choses the contestants," Don shrugged. "Well, thank you Tara for taking time out of your… 'busy' schedule and doing this interview. Do you mind sitting on the bleachers for the rest of the interview?"

"Yes, but I bet you're going to make me anyway," Tara grumbled, standing up.

"That I am! Tara Armstrong everyone!" Don called. The applause and cheering was tremendous, making Tara groan as she went over to sit with Jackal. The applause subsided and Don smiled again. "Next up, we have a girl who acted like a goof-ball, believed in thinking logically, pulled off a stunt everyone fell for except for Nora, and then ended up voting herself off to save her best friend! It's Sherry Liable!"

A loud cheering began as Sherry walked onto the stage. Sherry offered them a small smile as she went to take her seat. When she sat down, she smiled at Don. "Hi," she said nonchalantly.

Don blinked. "Really? After a season full of illogic and goofiness, you chose to enter this stage calmly? Without anything crazy or science defying? Nothing at all?"

"Nope," Sherry said simply.

Don looked at her for another few moments before shrugging. "Works for me!" he said. "So, Sherry, how do you say the contest went for you? Anything like you planned?"

"Well, really, I didn't care about the contest that much to begin with," Sherry admitted. "I'm focused a lot on my studies and my audition tape was more of a dare than anything. So when I was actually accepted in, I decided to act like the complete opposite I really was because, let's face it, I didn't take this game really seriously."

"Until you met Angelina," Don said knowingly.

"Until I met Angelina," Sherry sighed. "Say about it what you will, but acting illogical scored me a best friend. I don't have a lot of friends back at home to start with since I focus on schoolwork more, so by being who I wasn't, I met Angelina."

"She seemed to take you being calm and collected well," Don noted. "Think this'll effect your relationship?"

"Don, I don't think we _have_ a relationship," Sherry sighed, shaking her head. "We officially met the night before my elimination by being complete goof balls. She wanted to keep me around, but Bruce got in the way and tried to vote her off. Me, being completely illogical, didn't vote with Angelina and voted myself off. I'm sure she's grateful, but I doubt that's all we have."

"I see," Don said. "So even though you knew Angelina a little over a day, would you say she's someone very close to you?"

"Definitely," Sherry said without hesitation. "Angelina might be random, but she really does have a big heart. Plus, she's smarter than she seems, not to mention how cute she is."

Don raised an eyebrow. "Cute? Did you just call Angelina cute? Do I suspect romance?" Don asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Sherry blushed a deep shade of red. "N-n-n-n-no!" she denied. "I mean… Angelina _said_ she didn't chose a gender to love! I think she meant that she was bi-sexual! So, sure, if she wanted to go on a date, I wouldn't say _no_ , b-b-b-b-b-but that doesn't mean I _like_ her…"

Don held up a hand. "Calm down, I meant nothing by it," Don chuckled. "Besides, according to our shippers, Tristen and Angelina seem to be this season's top ship, Boomer and Kellie right behind them."

Sherry deflated visibly. "Oh… well… if they do get together, I'd be happy for them," Sherry said with a weak smile. "I mean, it's not like Angelina and I had much of a relationship to begin with. Tristen would be a better boyfriend than I would be as a girlfriend."

"If you say so, then you are," Don said seriously. "Let's talk about something that doesn't make you depressed or flustered. If you were to redo the contest all over again, but this time act like your normal logical self, how would you have done things?"

Sherry thought about this question for a few hard moments. "I think I would have teamed up with Bruce again," Sherry admitted. "But I would make sure he was the pawn, not me. I wouldn't have befriended Angelina and she'd probably be here in my place."

"And yet she's not," Don noted. "To be honest, I'm not sure what to call your sacrifice: brave or foolish. You saved your best friend, but you lost the chance at a million bucks. You lost either way, so I'm not sure how you feel about it yourself."

"Well Don, to me, I felt like a won," Sherry admitted. "I cared deeply for Angelina, I still do, and I wanted to keep her safe. Since I wanted to be random and illogical one last time, voting myself off was the only option. In summary, the only way for me to truly win was to lose."

Don nodded in understanding. "It seems to me that you are proud of your decision," Don said.

"Proud? Maybe more settled with my decision. I still think I should have stuck around… but I wouldn't go back and change my decision if I could," Sherry said simply.

"I guess sometimes our decisions only seem right to us," Don said. "Here's another question for you that I've gone over with the other two. What are your thoughts on Roxanne?"

Sherry thought this over, slightly conflicted. "I truly believe she should have been disqualified at this point," Sherry said. "That being said, what works works. If she gets away with attempt of murder, then that's what works for her. I don't agree that we should sit by and let her try to literally kill people, but what _can_ we do? Topher should be the one to take care of it."

"Let me let you in on a little secret," Don said. "Topher doesn't actually have control over disqualification. Chris still runs the show with a tight fist. Plus, the contracts don't allow disqualifications unless the circumstances are dire. Roxanne _can_ be disqualified… but only if she kills someone."

Sherry winced. "Ouch," she said. "Let's hope she's voted off like a normal person then. Geez… why would the contracts be so lose? Especially with Roxanne competing this season?"

"Beats me. I'm just the guy who interviews you guys and reads the contracts in his spare time," Don shrugged. "One more question before we get to your fan mail. Who would you like to see win Total Drama Fire Island?" Don asked her.

Sherry merely smiled. "Who else would I chose? Angelina all the way," she giggled.

"Thought you would chose as much," Don chuckled and reached into his pocket, producing three more letters. He tore open one of the white ones. He read it as follows:

 _Sherry,_

 _I really liked you as a contestant this season. I just think you totally wasted your potential. If there is an All Stars season and you compete, try to do it right and play strategically. You really could do well if you played it right._

 _Bomb_

"Like I said, I didn't really ever take this show seriously," Sherry said. "I still don't really care about it. The reason I chose to be goofy and illogical was to give me something to do during the season. The fact I ever considered changing tactics at all was a fluke. But if I _do_ get in an All Stars, I'll play it a bit differently. Although I doubt I'll get in it, since I was an early boot."

"You never know with those tricky All Stars. I can say, though, if there _is_ an All Stars, seven of you guys will be selected," Don said with a wink. Sherry thought this over as Don opened the second letter. This one read as follows:

 _Sherry,_

 _I know_ exactly _what the #$% you are! You are an abomination to the world, you sick #$%! You should be purged for your sins! You and Angelina both! Sick #$%..._

 _Frank_

Sherry was pale and horrified at the letter. "That's… that's the worst thing I've ever heard in my life… why on Earth would someone say something like that? And… what did he even refer too?"

"I think he's referring to sexuality, considering he's using words like sin and referencing you and Angelina together," Don helped out.

Sherry blanched. "Ok, I admit that I'm not into boys, but… why would anyone directly insult people who don't like people of the opposite sex? We aren't sinners, we just believe things different! I'm just… that hurts…"

Don shrugged. "I believe you can do what you will, whether that be good or bad," Don said. "I believe both what you believe and Frank believes is acceptable because you both believe differently. Here, let's read Topher's letter and get your mind off it." Sherry nodded and Don tore open the letter. It read as follows:

 _Sherry,_

 _I personally felt you were kind of fun to have as a contestant. I wish you branched out a little more and was more strategic, but I overall can't complain with how things ended up. I hope you are doing fine on the_ U.S.S. Islander _and that everyone is treating you ok._

 _Topher_

Sherry smiled as Don finished reading off the letter. "Thanks Topher. That actually made me super happy," Sherry said. "Maybe I should look into this new strategy thing if I get into the All Stars…"

"You think that over there by the bleachers," Don suggested. Sherry nodded and stood up and walked over to sit next to Tara. "Sherry Liable!" The audience roared as Sherry sat down. Sherry smiled and waved to the audience as she took a seat. "The last contestant of the night," Don continued, "made instant friends with Boomer and Gracie, played his game strategically, sang his way through the contest, fell victim to lies spread by Randall, and was shoved into the lava river by Roxanne! Introducing Jeremy Pavarotti!"

Several screams erupted from the audience, most of them women's voices. Jeremy walked out on stage, looking tired and upset. He weakling smiled at the audience as he trudged over to the green seat. He sat down across from Don with a weak smile and a wince.

"Mind if we do this quickly? I want to get my hand looked it," Jeremy said.

"We'll try to get through this as fast as possible," Don nodded. "Speaking of, how is your hand? I doubt lava feels good at all."

"No. It. #$%. Doesn't," Jeremy said flatly. "There are a lot of things in this world that hurt Don. Lava? I've _never_ felt worse in my _entire_ life. This injury was _not_ worth the contest, not in the slightest."

"So would you rather have not been accepted at all and not gotten the injury?" Don asked.

"Yes. I didn't really get anything much from the experience except for a few musical numbers and one close friend," Jeremy said. "Not really what you would call a successful run in this contest."

"Not really," Don agreed. "However, I noticed you said one friend. What about Gracie and Boomer? Didn't they both grab your friendship?"

Jeremy sighed, shaking his head. "At first I thought the three of us were an unbreakable trio," Jeremy said. "We were taking this game by storm and everything was, more or less, going our way. But as I look back at the contest…my only real ally was Boomer. Gracie didn't ever side with us and I'm starting to realize that maybe she was never on our side to begin with."

"From what I've seen of the season, Gracie mostly just seems confused with everything going on in the contest," Don noted. "Would you really go as far to say that Gracie purposely went against all the plans?"

"I don't think she did most of it on purpose, no," Jeremy sighed. "But… she went and voted me off. I stuck around because I wanted to try and win this. I would have thought Gracie would respect my decision and stick to the plan… but I guess not."

"Sometimes people do things for the better good of us," Don said. "Sometimes we don't like it, but we have to live with the decisions they make and have to remember that they thought it was a good idea."

Jeremy sighed. "I guess that makes sense," he said. "Anything else you want to ask me?"

"You were kind of the man of the hour when it came to singing," Don commented. "Out of the two songs you got to sing, which one did you enjoy more?"

Jeremy pondered this question for a while. "Probably 'Sitting Around'. 'Face' was about a decayed face sitting around in Roxanne's pocket. I mean, who carries a decayed face?! That makes absolutely no sense in the slightest!"

Don shrugged. "Roxanne's a special breed," he said simply. "Speaking of her, what are your thoughts of her this season?"

Jeremy blanched. "Roxanne is a #$% monster," Jeremy said flatly. "She tried to kill me and Gracie several times! She should seriously be disqualified from this show! None of this is legal, I'm sure of it!"

"It's all legal via the contract," Don said. "Now then, if you could choose one moment in the entire contest to relive, which moment would that be?"

Jeremy sighed, looking distant. "Probably when I helped Gracie with her issues," Jeremy sighed. "Look Don, I'm going to be absolutely honest with you. Gracie is probably the best and worst thing to happen to me in this game. I loved hanging out with her toward the start and I loved being there for her. But right when everyone started turning her against me, she didn't seem to matter that much. Therefore, I can't decide whether I loved being with her during the contest or hated the whole experience. I just can't decide."

Don nodded in understanding. "They're women and you're a teenage man," Don said. "Understandable that you would be confused about how you feel."

"It's not just that," Jeremy sighed. "Something in the contest Roxanne said… that Gracie was lying. I don't think Gracie was actually lying. I think Gracie was lying to herself. She was trying to work out who she was, what she wanted. She was fooling herself that she's stable. I think that Gracie is trying to handle too many things herself. Everything in this game to her is a lie. She just simply doesn't know that right now."

"Deep words from Jeremy," Don noted. "Let's just hope Gracie will figure it out while she's in the contest. Now then, last question. Who do you want to win Total Drama Fire Island?"

"If we were on better terms, Gracie. But, I have to officially say Boomer should win. He's my pal. No reason for him not win," Jeremy shrugged.

"If that's you're final answer, I guess it's time to wrap things up," Don said. "I have a few fan letters for you in my pocket we have to go over then you can go." Don reached into his coat pockets and grabbed out three more letters. He tore open one of the white ones and read it as follows:

 _Jeremy,_

 _You know, you were kind of a disappointment as a contestant. You made it clear you loved singing, but you only sang twice during the whole contest. I have to say this is super disappointing. If you ever get accepted into an All Stars, and I kind of hope you don't, you better follow through and actually sing in that season._

 _Curt_

"Again, another thing I missed out on," Jeremy sighed. "You know, this show has created a lot of regrets for me. Gracie, not singing a lot, almost getting killed. I have to say, I'm kind of disappointed in how this worked out as well."

"Can't have everything, I'm afraid," Don nodded. He grabbed the next white envelope and tore it open. It read as follows:

 _Jeremy,_

 _You are_ super- _hot! I love a spanking hot man who can sing? Mind giving me a bit a sugar with that delicious body of yours? I can totally make myself available for a hot hunk like you._

 _Belle_

Jeremy visibly shivered in fear and disgust. "Please tell me I don't have to respond to that one! Please!" Jeremy begged.

"Trust me, even I'm not that cold and heartless," Don shivered. "Just reading that thing was ultimately terrifying."

"I had to hear it," Jeremy said. Don shivered again as he tore open the last envelope. He read it as follows:

 _Jeremy,_

 _You know, I was your age once. Young, love, and disappointed with where I ranked in my season. I'm sorry you have to deal with both Gracie and Roxanne's murderous attempts against your life. I wish I could get rid of her, but these contracts are really hard to break. I hope that your time on the_ U.S.S. Islander _will be pleasant and that you will get well soon._

 _Topher_

"That was nice of him," Jeremy said, smiling a small smile. "I do hope that the others will have a calmer time in the contest than I did. Plus, Topher's a lot nicer than he seemed to be in his season."

"A lot of people are like that," Don shrugged. "You're free to go Jeremy," Don said. Jeremy nodded and stood up to head to the medical room. Don looked at the audience. "Jeremy Pavarotti everyone!" The audience cheered their applause and Don smiled.

"So, that was the first interview! The first four eliminations are out of the way and there are many more to come! Stay tuned for more interviews as Total Drama Fire Island continues forward till the end! Till next time, Don out!"

 **(Undisclosed Location)**

"You got the key?" Quiltal asked. He and Blainely were both sitting at the video screen. On the other side of it was Chris, who held up the first key. "Impressive. I didn't think you would get this far."

"Wow. You expected me to fail. How nice of you," Chris said flatly. "I'm going to try and locate the next key within the next few days. I'll call you two when I locate it."

"Take your time," Blainely said. "You have nine episodes left to find the two keys, eight if you don't count the temple finale."

"Speaking of the temple, any luck in finding me a location for it?" Chris asked them.

"No. I've been too busy studying the remaining contestants," Blainely said. "Speaking of, did you know Gracie Ino is Grill Ino's daughter?"

Chris frowned. "Our boss? The guy who promoted us?" he asked her. "How did you miss that in the cast selection process?"

"No idea," Blainely said, shaking her head.

"All will be revealed in time," Quital said, licking his smiling lips. "Chris, good work finding the first key. At this rate we'll have the item I seek in no time. Blainely and I must get back to our important business."

"Alright, whatever," Chris said, waving it aside. "Oh, I got a call from Don a few hours ago. He's pretty much got us cleared with the Coast Guard. He paid off the owner of the island, so no one knows we're on Fire Island."

"Good. Remember, each island is ran by a different set of people. Make sure Don locates the other's so we may work in the shadows," Quiltal said and ended the call. This left him and Blainely alone. "Questioning the contestants Blainely?"

"No, I'm happy with my selection," Blainely said. "I'm just wondering why a few of them are only just now starting to connect to everything."

"All will be known within time," Quiltal said. He stood up and walked away, his smile continuing to remain unwavering.

 **BN: And that wraps up the first aftermath! I think it's nice to take a break from the main season and go over the eliminated contestants a little. I hope you guys enjoyed it as this will be the last chapter for this season for a little while. TDASB is now my main focus until the merge, which is in three episodes plus an Aftermath. After that, expect me to come back to this one straight until the merge! Till next time guys!**

 **Next Time:** Some drama happens and Topher and Amy have another argument as per usual. For the challenge, the two teams went into a cave to fetch a pail of lava from a hidden lava well.


	11. E5 P1: Up All Night

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the fourteen OCs that appear in this fic plus Quiltal. Other than that, it's probs not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And done! Since TDASB is undergoing hiatus, I figured it'd be nice to get a Fire Island episode out real quick. Depending how fast I play the game I need to play, I might do two episodes. We'll really have to see. Anyway, I'm taking the poll down. No one seems to be using it and it's actually really disappointing. Another will go up later when we get to the finale though, so be sure you check that out when it comes! Also, this chapter is really important for the story, so I hope you like it! Be sure you tell me below what you love and what I need to improve on. Until then, enjoy the chapter!**

Well, the well-meant well meant well.

E5 P1: Up All Night

In the ocean far away from normal civilization lie several islands. On one of these islands, volcanos erupted and fire bruned elegantly. On this island, a young man stood in front of a camera, looking at it with a smile.

"Good thing Jeremy arrived alright," Topher said to himself. "Unlike Chris, I'm not a complete monster who doesn't care. The safety of the contestants is my number one priority."

After talking to himself a little bit, Topher addressed the camera. "Last time on Total Drama Fire Island," Topher said, "we had some _massive_ drama going on! On the Lying Lava, we had bonding of Angelina and Tristen and the deconstruction of Bruce and Nora! Bernard was merely Bernard and was looked down upon the universe as he was given exactly what he wanted: an ass. And by that… I mean a donkey."

"On the Valiant Volcanos, a _different_ type of drama was going down. Randall, being Randall, convinced both Boomer _and_ Gracie that Jeremy was bad news. Jeremy reacted shocked to this and tried to up his game to prevent any more misconceptions. Kellie got angry at everything, which wasn't really new, and Roxanne went around trying to kill people."

"During the challenge, which was a lava lake race, Kellie and Boomer seemed to bond… or lack thereof, depending on how you looked at it. Bruce didn't get along with anyone and Angelina almost pulled a Roxanne and took a dip in the lake. It was a shocking finish as the Lying Lava managed to _just barely_ beat the Valiant Volcanos."

"Right as the Valiant Volcanos were pulling up, however, Roxanne pulled a risky move. She shoved Jeremy forward, making him graze his hand in the lava. Jeremy ended up ok enough to want to try and compete, but due to Randall's 'convincing' arguments, Jeremy was still the one to be voted off and forced to take the Eruption of Shame."

"What will happen this time?" Topher began to wrap up. "Can Nora manage to get through to Bruce and convince him that he is indeed a hypocrite? Will Kellie manage her feelings and not blow up in Boomer's face? Can Boomer recover after his friend's elimination? Is Tristen going to manage to protect Angelina and not get caught in the cross fire? What will the challenge end up being? And who will be voted off next? Find out on Total Drama Fire Island!"

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Outside of the Fire House, Randall was resting against his rock by the lava pool. He was smirking in victory at Jeremy's elimination. He was about to drift off in bliss when he heard someone approach him. Randall straightened himself up and offered a smile to Roxanne, who had a huge smirk on her face.

"You're welcome!" she said.

"For what?" Randall asked. "Being a good villain? Sure, I guess thanks are in order. It's an honor to help you play through this game."

"Not _that_!" Roxanne giggled. "You're welcome for me pushing Jeremy into the lava! It was really fun and it kept me from getting voted off! Can I try killing someone else to save myself from going home? Not that I hate home, I just like tormenting Gracie!"

Randall raised an eyebrow. "To my knowledge, you haven't directly hurt Gracie," Randall said. "Besides, she helped out in voting for Jeremy last night. She's kind of on our side."

Roxanne giggled again. "I know! The best torture porn is _emotional_ torture porn! I love physical torture, and don't get me wrong, I will kill Gracie at some point, but I focused all my attacks on Jeremy because it makes her torn up inside, like taking a hacksaw to the organs! A liar like her is supposed to get emotional and irrational and deadly, and I love it!"

Randall thought this over. "Hang on… you _planned_ to get Gracie on our side _the whole time_?" Randall asked. A smirk formed on his face. "Impressive. I only thought you were a heartless murderer."

Roxanne rolled her eyes with a giggle. "I'm not heartless," she said. "I have a heart. I just chose to keep everyone else's heart close to mine in the literal sense! I have a necklace made completely of hearts if you want to see it!"

"Maybe some other time," Randall said, waving the comment aside. "With Gracie aligned with us, I need to make sure she stays loyal. I'll try convincing her that she did the right thing and that she should team up with me, and by extension, you."

"I can target Boomer next if you want me to," Roxanne offered. "I _was_ going to try getting Kellie to physically explode by making her so angry her blood would just burst from her body…but if Gracie is friends with Boomer, she might snap more!"

Randall thought this plan over. "That's actually a smart idea. I'll try to get Gracie to agree to it. If you get him injured or mostly dead, we're pretty much guaranteed to get her on our side again. Just make sure you do it before our next elimination ceremony."

"Mostly dead? Come on, you're killing me here!" Roxanne giggled. "How's that for irony?!"

 **Confessional: Roxanne, let's face it. You're the killer. You'll be the only one left at this rate.**

 **Randall:** (Smirking.) **I have to admit, aligning with Roxanne was a smart idea. Sure, I want to live, and that's a priority, but the fact I have her thinking that I'll let her kill me later means I have time to be a scape goat. What's even** _ **better**_ **about having Roxanne as an ally is that she's actually doing a lot more work than I** _ **thought**_ **she was doing. Now that I think about it, Roxanne has targeted everyone with her murderous assault that Gracie has voted off. Roxanne knows what she's doing… and this is why I love her as a villain.**

 **Roxanne:** (Thinks something over.) **This is technically a toilet, right? What if I stuff Boomer into the waste pile and left him there to rot? Maybe not the most exciting death ever, but a death that sure will make his corpse an** _ **awesome**_ **trophy!** (Giggles.)

Gracie was inside the Fire House resting in her room. She was still distraught about her choice at elimination and was completely torn up over it. She was silently crying on her bed when she heard a knock on her door. She tensed up. "Come in," she said shakily.

The door opened and Boomer walked into the room. He glanced at Gracie carefully and went over to sit in the empty bed. He stared at Gracie for a few seconds, not saying a word. Finally, he spoke. "I KNOW WHO YOU VOTED FOR!"

Gracie choked back a sob. "I know… I feel awful about it…" she said.

"DON'T!" Boomer said, making Gracie looked up at him in shock. "JEREMY WAS MY PAL, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, AN ALLY! I STUCK WITH HIM LAST NIGHT BECAUSE HE TRULY WANTED TO GIVE HIS ALL IN THIS CONTEST! I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP HIM FROM DOING WHAT HIS HEART WAS TELLING HIM TO DO! BUT… I _WANTED_ TO VOTE FOR HIM TOO! HE'S HURT AND DESPITE WHAT HE SAYS, HE COULDN'T HAVE COMPETED THE WAY HE WANTED TO! I _RESPECT_ YOUR DECISION! I MIGHT NOT _AGREE_ WITH WHAT YOU DID, FAR FROM IT! BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU CAME FROM!"

A tear exited one of Gracie's eyes. "Thanks Boomer," she said. "It's just… I don't know who to trust anymore. I _thought_ I made the right decision, but I'm not sure what Randall is up to or planning. I shouldn't have listened to him… but he had me so convinced…"

"IF WE WOULD HAVE TALKED AGAIN, I BET RANDALL WOULD HAVE CONVINCED ME TOO!" Boomer admitted. "I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHO TO FOLLOW GRACIE! JUST KNOW THAT I'M HERE IF YOU NEED ME! WE'RE STILL FRIENDS, MAYBE EVEN ALLIES IF YOU WANT! JUST SAY THE WORD!"

Gracie smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks Boomer… I can kind of see why you're Jeremy's best friend. You have a heart that screams louder than your voice ever can."

"AW, THANKS!" Boomer said, slightly blushing at the compliment.

 **Confessional: I CAN TALK LIKE THIS!**

 **Boomer: I MIGHT BE MOSTLY ALONE, BUT I STILL HAVE GRACIE'S BACK! JEREMY, IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, KNOW THAT WE REALLY DO CARE FOR YOU DUDE! GRACIE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU HURT! I HOPE THAT YOU'RE DOING BETTER AND THAT YOU'RE RECOVERING! I'LL MAKE SURE TO WIN THIS FOR YOU! PROMISE!**

 **Gracie:** (Looks less sad and more determined.) **I can do this… Boomer's on my side, right? If Boomer trusts me, then I have to trust Boomer. Two votes isn't enough to keep** _ **both**_ **of us safe. If Randall wants my vote so much… he can** _ **have**_ **it. I just need to play my cards right and everything works out for everyone.**

Kellie was in the bottom most room of the Fire House. She was sitting on her bed, deep in thought and thinking about something. However, instead of thinking silently inside her head, she was talking out loud to herself. And as she did so, she seemed to get more and more frustrated.

"Every time I feel this feeling, it's around Boomer," Kellie grumbled. "I feel it when I'm with him and when he tries to bring me up. Anger goes away, at least a little bit. It can't be a crush, I can't _feel_ normal love. I wasn't _taught_ love. But this feeling feels the opposite of anger."

"I'm not feeling love… but all I can feel is anger! I'm spiteful, hateful, mean, jerkish, _evil_! I'M ANGRY #$%IT! SO WHAT THE #$% AM I FEELING INSIDE?!" Kellie screamed. She reached over and grabbed a lamp sitting on a nightstand next to her. She chucked it across the room, making it hit the wall. Instead of smashing into pieces, it merely bounced off it and landed on the ground, perfectly intact.

"WHAT THE #$%?! YOU WANT TO GO LAMP?! WE'LL FIGHT TO THE #$% DEATH!" Kellie screamed. She leaped off her bed and onto the lamp, jumping on top of it over and over again. The lamp didn't remotely break. Even the bulb remained intact.

" #$%!" Kellie screamed in rage. "DIE, DIE, DIE #$%IT!" She grabbed the lamp and smashed it against the wall as hard as she could. When it didn't break, Kellie screamed and continued to pound the lamp against the wall with all her strength.

She did this for over ten minutes, each swing getting weaker and weaker. The lamp continued to remain indestructible as Kellie pounded it against the wall. Finally, Kellie groaned and fell to the floor, the lamp falling from her grasp. " #$%," she groaned and passed out from exhaustion.

 **Confessional: What was that lamp** _ **made**_ **of?!**

 **Kellie: That lamp took my mind off Boomer, at least until I passed out. I had a dream about him though… we were talking. Like normal people. We have having a picnic somewhere that wasn't this #$% island. He was quieter and had hearing aids on and I wasn't ragey and angry. It was actually a really nice conversation.** (Her eye twitches.) **WHAT THE #$% IS WRONG WITH ME #$%IT?!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Over in the fields where the Lying Lava dwell, Bernard didn't remotely have sleep on his mind. In fact, he didn't even have _asses_ on his mind. Both of those things weren't remotely close to what he was thinking about. No, the thing he was thinking about…

…was world domination.

"What do you think of this Asszilla?" Bernard asked. He was currently in the middle of nowhere, sitting on top of his pet donkey. "What if, after we win this game, we go to donkey capitol of the world? We both release the donkeys in captivity and tell them that we plan to make this world ruled by donkeys! And me of course, but mostly donkeys! Then, we can use that army of donkeys use them to trample all the world leaders! With the humans scrambling for leader, we set you up to be the president of the world! With the people in a panic, they'll be dumb enough to vote you for office! With you in charge, we can enslave the humans and make donkey's the dominant race!"

Bernard paused. "What do you think?" Asszilla neighed softly, making Bernard nod in understanding. "You're right. Before we start our conquest, we really should stock up on carrots. Good idea Asszilla. I'm glad you're my right hand."

"Hi!" Angelina said, randomly appearing on Bernard's head. Bernard yelped and tumbled backward off of Asszilla. Angelina jumped off Bernard and onto Asszilla, landing on the tip of her toes. She giggled as Bernard scrambled to his feet angrily. "What'cha doing?"

"For your information, world domination!" Bernard huffed. "And you aren't a part of it!"

"Aw, I wanted Easter Island," she pouted. "Anyways, I was thinking it over, and I realized maybe I could let you _poke_ my ass. Just to make you smile a bit more!"

Bernard waved that statement aside. "I don't have time for asses," Bernard said. Asszilla huffed, making Bernard smile faintly. "No, I didn't mean _you_ Asszilla," Bernard said. The donkey nodded and looked forward.

Angelina cocked her head. "So… you don't want to be a creepy perv anymore?" Angelina asked.

"All I want is to sit on my ass, pun intended, and plan how to take over the world solely on donkey power," Bernard said.

"Ok! Then you won't mind if I do this!" Angelina said. She spun around on her toes and bent over, pulling up her skirt, revealing green panties. Bernard stuttered and blundered, looking absolutely shocked. "Like it?"

"Buh, gah, muh, fuh," Bernard said, twitching. "A-A-A-A-Asszilla! S-s-s-s-s-she's trying to d-d-d-distract me with ass! S-s-s-s-stop her!" Asszilla nodded and started to charge forward. Angelina stood up and simply jumped off Asszilla, giggling the whole time.

"Have fun you two!" Angelina said and skipped off, humming a tune to herself. Asszilla galloped up to his master and huffed at him. Bernard stroked his muzzle, scowling at Angelina.

"Trying to distract me with her body. Like I would ever fall for something as trivial as that," Bernard huffed.

 **Confessional: Oh Bernard…**

 **Bernard: Who needs ass when you have a donkey, which is also an ass? I feel as though with Asszilla by my side, nothing can go wrong! All we need is the prize money and then we can easily travel the world and free the donkeys!**

 **Angelina: Fun fact-my panties are handmade! I was assigned something for Home Economics where I had to sew an article of clothing by myself. I intended to make a pair of socks… but I got panties instead! I've worn them ever since, even in the shower!** (Giggles.) **Naughty boys! Don't think about me in the shower now! The last time I imagined myself in the shower I had a spatula… that isn't as trivial as you might think, nope!**

Bruce was leaning against his rock, frowning. He had been there for a while and he had merely been thinking about things over and over in his head. As he did so, his scowl deepened more and more. "Tristen's making himself too much of an asset," Bruce grumbled. "This is getting bad… no, calm down Bruce. Angelina is going to waste her vote. Tristen won't know the better and waste his. Nora will probably vote for me. Bernard and I can easily take out Tristen. Calm down."

"Pondering why the game isn't going your way?" Tristen asked. Bruce glanced up to see him jogging up to him. When he stopped, Tristen continued to jog in place. "I can tell you why if you really don't know."

"Pfft, my game's going fine. It's your game that's lacking," Bruce grumbled. "I've made perfect harmony with this team. I haven't needed to take a side and I think I've created an environment where there isn't a conflict that isn't easily solvable."

Tristen looked at Bruce flatly. "Are you joking?" he asked. "Please tell me you're joking. You can't _possibly_ think that this team doesn't have sides and that you're the perfect angel here."

"Angel? No, not necessarily," Bruce said. "Perhaps a fallen angel for reasons too complex for a jock like you to understand."

Tristen facepalmed. "Someone _really_ needs to educate you," Tristen said. "Angelina and I are a side, Bernard is a side, Nora is a side, and you are a side. The five of us _aren't_ in harmony. Heck, I'm pretty sure two of the four sides _hate you_. Are you really that oblivious?"

Bruce simply shrugged. "I'm sure some people don't really like how I play the game," Bruce said. "I mean, being a pacifist doesn't get a lot of fans, now does it? But my way is the best way and I feel as though people can learn from me if I continued playing this way."

"You… are a sad man. I pity you, just a little," Tristen sighed. "I wish you luck. Because let's be honest… you really need it." Tristen jogged off, leaving Bruce alone with a scowl on his face.

"Pity? I don't need your pity," Bruce snapped to no one. "If anything, I should pity you for being so oblivious that you are one big fat target!"

 **Confessional: Tristen isn't fat, he just has muscle.**

 **Bruce: The way I see things, Tristen's causing problems at this point. He seems to be telling me that I'm not standing up for what I believe. I** _ **am**_ **standing up for what I believe in! If he doesn't think so, then he's a problem that needs to be dealt with. Funnily enough, everyone who** _ **isn't**_ **Bernard is a problem. Ironic, huh?**

 **Tristen: Bruce is kind of a sad guy if you really think about it. He thinks that he's not taking a side and not hurting people. I don't think he's realizing that he** _ **can**_ **hurt people by doing what he's doing. Look at Sherry. When Bruce went all dictator, Sherry though the only way to fix things was to vote for herself. That didn't** _ **help**_ **her. But Bruce doesn't think it's his fault because he didn't 'take a side'. It** _ **is**_ **his fault because he's one-sided…** _ **himself**_ **. If it comes from anyone else, it's a problem or a bad idea because it 'takes a side'. Bruce needs to realize he needs to communicate with other people in order to truly be a pacifist.**

 _Nora was in a dark, dark room. She spun around, fearfully observing the darkness. She knew where she was, and she didn't like the feeling she felt. She continued to turn around, only ever seeing black and no other colors._

" _Nora!" came a little girl's voice. Nora spun around and saw a light turn on. A little girl, about the age of twelve, stood in the light, a giant smile on her face. She had black hair down in pretty pigtails and wore green overalls and an orange shirt._

" _Lis?" Nora asked, paling. Nora ran forward to the girl, who had now outstretched her arms toward her. However, as Nora got closer, Lis' smile turned into a frown. Lis' body also began to change. Bruises appeared on her face and arms and her clothes began to get sloppy and repaired several times, as if they were torn off multiple times. When Nora finally got to her, Lis was crying._

" _Why Nora? Why'd you let them hurt me?" Lis said, tears streaming form her eyes. "It's all your fault…"_

" _No, Lis, I won't let them hurt you ever again!" Nora screamed._

" _You_ won't _?" came a raspy voice. Nora tensed as Lis disappeared and a hand grabbed Nora's shoulder. "You're forgetting something Nora. You must remember everything."_

" _I'm doing my best," Nora said, gritting her teeth. Nora screamed in agony as a knife stabbed her chest, making her eyes go wide. "Wha…?"_

" _I own you_ and _your sister. I can beat, rape, torture, and #$% you two whenever the #$% I want," the guy whispered raspy into her ear. "You fail me… you forget what I've turned you into… and your sister will be so broken, you won't even recognize her."_

 _The man twisted the knife, making Nora scream in agony even more. The pain... the hurt… no more… no more… no more… NO MORE!_

"NO MORE!" Nora screamed, bolting awake. She was in the middle of nowhere, alone. A few tears exited her eyes. Nora quickly wiped them away, putting on a stony look. "Just a dream," Nora said, lacking all emotion. "Dreams can't hurt me… I can't _let_ them hurt me… I have to follow what Redrick wants…"

 **Confessional: No comment…**

 **Nora: Get close, destroy. That is what Redrick wants, and that is what he will get. I cannot form friends. I must hurt everyone here. After I accomplish this goal… Redrick will make me do more. I must not fail him… or else. And I don't ever want to witness the 'or else' again.** _ **Never**_ **.**

 **(Next Morning- Topher's Trailer)**

Topher was sitting inside of his trailer at his table, currently working on a laptop. He was scowling to himself as he flipped through his email, which surprisingly great WiFi. He clicked one and read through it, making his scowl deepen.

" #$%," he grumbled. "So many complaints…"

Topher heard a knock on the door, which relieved him enough to sigh. He walked over to the door and opened, promptly returning his scowl when he saw it was Amy at the door. "Great. Not only do I have to deal with hate mail, but I have to tolerate you too."

"I deserve a good morning," Amy said flatly.

"Good morning #$%," Topher grumbled. Amy scowled, but shrugged, figuring that it was the best she was going to get. Topher walked back into his trailer, prompting Amy to follow him. "I've been trying my best to moderate the amount of hate this show is getting. So far I've at least pacified the audience, saying that Jeremy is safe and recovering."

"That's not what all of it was about, was it?" Amy smirked.

Topher sighed. "I've been asked by several people, most government agencies, to disqualify Roxanne for being a danger to the other contestants," Topher said. "Thing is, I _can't_ do that. I _want_ to and I agree, but I have no choice in keeping Roxanne in the game because of her contract. Not only that, but I can't _tell_ them that it's in the contract. So everything Roxanne does from now on in the contest, _I'm_ responsible for it."

Amy chuckled at this, making Topher scowl more. "I like seeing you crash and burn," Amy said. "Keeps you away from my sister, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, no. I'll get this solved and I'll go have a nice friendly chat with her," Topher smirked. "Not because it ticks you off, but because I actually enjoy talking to her." He paused for a few seconds. "Ok, ticking you off is a bonus I'm not complaining about."

Amy frowned. "Don't make me hurt you. Because I will," Amy said. Amy reached under her shirt and pulled out a file folder. She slid it onto the table over to Topher. "Chris found another location. Everything's in there."

"Delivery girl. Kind fits your #$% like personality," Topher smirked.

"Go #$% yourself," Amy muttered and left his trailer.

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Randall yawned as he woke up in his spot. He smiled at the lava pool that was next to him. "If you were water and not lava, I would totally be chilling in it," Randall chuckled. "Oh well. Since I'm not suicidal, I guess chilling next to it isn't that bad."

"Hey Randall! I need to talk to you!" someone called to him. Randall glanced up to see the speaker was Gracie. Once he saw her, he smirked to himself.

 _Perfect. Just the girl I wanted to deceive,_ he thought to himself. "Hey Gracie! Nice to see you! I wanted to thank you last night for going with Jeremy, but we kind of split off last night."

"Cut the crap," Gracie said, surprising Randall. "You think you have this game in your hand, right? You're #$% wrong. _I_ run this game the way _I_ want to run it. Not your way, not Boomer's way, not Jeremy's way, _my_ way. Don't try confusing me again, got it?"

"Yes mam," Randall said politely. In his head though, he thought, _What the #$%?! Who the #$% is this? Gracie was that girl yesterday who was easy to pick on and mess with her emotions. This Gracie… what the #$%?_

Gracie's expression softened. "Now look. I want to win this game as much as anyone," she said sweetly, again shocking Randall. "So, I've figured out a way I can do that. Boomer doesn't know better, so he'll probably vote with me next time we lose. Now no matter what, you vote for Kellie when we lose. Ok?"

"Er… I mean, I _could_ do that, but don't you think…" Randall tried to suggest.

Gracie scowled angrily, shocking Randall yet again. " _Do it!"_

"Ok! Fine, I'll vote for Kellie," Randall said. "Um… but what about after that?"

"I didn't think of that," Gracie said, turning sweet again. "We'll have to come to it when we come to it! Nice chat Randall! I hope you have a good rest of your day!"

Gracie walked off, seemingly cheerful. Randall blinked, shocked by the whole situation he had just been a part of. "What… the #$%... just happened?" Randall asked. "And more importantly… did she just _convince_ me to go against someone I don't even care about?"

 **Confessional: Character development or deconstruction?**

 **Randall: Um… yeah, that** _ **wasn't**_ **Gracie… but #$%, it was hot! She no villain… but she could be. Roxanne's great and I'm totally keeping her around as the villain I want to win. But #$%... Gracie totally took me by surprise! Condense that in a bottle and mature it a little bit and you have a great villain!**

 **Gracie:** (Takes a shaky breath.) **Do you think it worked? I don't really know what Randall's game is… so I thought I should try and play the villain. I think it worked… I just hope I can keep this up.** (Giggles.) **Although, playing the villain was kind of fun, if only a little.**

Roxanne came out of her hidden room, a smile on her face. Kellie was still asleep, so she didn't rage at Roxanne like she normally would have Roxanne walked over to Kellie's unconscious body and smiled. "Hi Kellie!" Roxanne said. Kellie grumbled in her sleep, but didn't wake up. "I would totally kill you today if I could! But since emotional torture is possible, I'm afraid you're death is going to have to wait."

"Not that I _can't_ wait. I mean, I waited seven years to kill my momma," Roxanne said in memory. "Death is kind of funny. I like killing and having people with me forever and ever. If they're alive, they could easily abandon me. But… it _is_ nice to have someone love you when both of you are alive. It kind of feels… less empty."

"But I kind of _need_ to kill," Roxanne said with a smile. "If I don't, then I can't see my victims again! Everyone I kill… I'll be with them again when I die! It's what I've always been taught! So long as I kill them… we'll be together again."

Roxanne paused for a moment. "I guess I don't want to see _everyone_ again," Roxanne admitted. "I do kill most of my victims just to fill my quota. But the special ones? I slice an RP on them, so that when I die, those I marked will be with Roxanne Pinto, me! I only mark their foreheads though. "

Roxanne giggled to herself. "Maybe I'll mark Randall and Gracie," Roxanne said. "We are kind of friends, aren't we? Murdering them will be like murdering mom. I'll feel empty again and I won't feel complete. But hey, that's the job, huh? Can't argue the rules."

Roxanne straightened herself and went for the door. "Sorry I can't mark you Kellie," Roxanne said apologetically. "But if I did… you'd probably try to kill me when I'm dead for killing you! No problem with that, but I don't want to kill in the afterlife. I'm doing my bit now. After death? I'm retiring!" With a giggle, Roxanne left the room, leaving an unconscious Kellie with all this information.

 **Confessional: Deep moments… that Roxanne shares with an unconscious woman.**

 **Roxanne: Hmmm… I've never really been into murder with vehicles, but maybe I could kill Randall by strapping a motorcycle to his chest, bolt the other end to the ground, and then smash him by spinning the wheel on his body! That's not such a bad idea… with the prize money, I could do that and more!**

 **Kellie:** (Scowling.) **I feel as though I missed something important… WHAT THE #$%?! HOW COME I ALWAYS MISS THE IMPORTANT #$%?!**

Kellie yawned as she woke up. She had felt as though something had passed (and made a confessional later) but she didn't bother with that feeling right at that moment. Instead, Kellie spun around in her bed and looked at the area leading to Boomer's room.

"Should I… talk to him?" Kellie asked herself. "I don't know what this feeling is… but I _like_ this feeling. I want to feel it again… even if I don't understand it. It ticks me off… but maybe it shouldn't?"

"GOOD MORNING!" Boomer said, walking into the room. Kellie looked at Boomer carefully… but instead of yelling at him, Kellie simply nodded. Boomer waited for a few seconds, but Kellie didn't yell at him. "NO YELLING AT ME THIS MORNING?"

"DO YOU WANT ME TO YELL AT YOU #$%IT?!" Kellie screamed. She promptly shut her mouth, making Boomer chuckle. When Kellie had calmed herself down (as much as she could), and sighed. "I wanted to try… not being mad at you for a change."

Boomer's eyes widened. "WAIT… FOR REALS?! AWESOME!" Boomer said. "ANY REASON WHY YOU SUDDENLY HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART?!"

"DOES IT #$% MATTER?!" Kellie screamed. Kellie took a few deep breaths to calm down again and Boomer patiently waited for her to get calm. "I just… don't want to be mad at you. Is that wrong? TELL ME #$%IT!"

"NO, IT'S NOT WRONG!" Boomer said. "IN FACT… I'M KIND OF PROUD OF YOU! I KNOW ANGER'S A BIG PART OF YOU AND THAT TRYING TO REMAIN CALM IS PROBABLY KILLING YOU! BUT I'M PROUD THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO AT LEAST BE SOCIAL WITH ME!"

Kellie felt something inside her as Boomer said this. She couldn't tell what it was… but it felt like the other feeling she had never felt before. Kellie tried to form a word, anything, to figure out what this feeling was. But… nothing.

"I… I…" Kellie stammered. "SHUT UP #$%IT!" Kellie turned and ran out the exit, leaving Boomer alone. Boomer frowned and scratched his head.

"DID I… SAY SOMETHING WRONG?" Boomer asked to no one in particular.

 **Confessional: No, you didn't react fast enough.**

 **Kellie:** (Red and looks confused.) **What's wrong with me? What are all these feelings I've been feeling? I don't know… I DON'T KNOW #$%IT! Do I like Boomer? Do I…** _ **love**_ **Boomer? I don't know… all I know is anger, hate, rage… WHY DOES THIS #$% WORLD HATE ME #$%IT?! WHY DO I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS #$%?!**

 **Boomer: I THINK I'M FINALLY GETTING THREW TO KELLIE! I KNOW IT MUST BE SUPER HARD FOR HER TO DO THIS, BUT I BELIEVE IN HER! I THOUGHT SHE WAS A LOST CAUSE YESTERDAY, SO THIS MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY! ALTHOUGH… I DON'T REALLY KNOW** _ **WHY**_ **SHE STORMED OUT LIKE THAT! DID I SAY SOMETHING OFFENSIVE TO HER OR SOMETHING?! IF I DID, I SERIOUSLY DIDN'T MEAN TO, HONEST!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Bruce yawned as he stretched himself awake. He looked well rested and managed to have a smile on his face as he woke up. "That was… quite a good night's sleep for once," he said. "I feel that I might stand a chance in the challenge today."

"Pfft, like you do much," someone grumbled. Bruce barely acknowledged that Bernard approached him on top of Asszilla. "If anything, Asszilla does more than you, and he's not even technically a contestant!"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Asszilla was a complete fluke," he said. "I don't know _how_ he ended up on our boat, but it is of no use to us in challenges. I could do more in the challenge than Asszilla ever could."

Bernard's eye twitched. "Is that a #$% challenge?!" Bernard snapped. "Because if it is, I'll give you challenge!"

Bruce thought over this for a moment. "How so?" he asked.

"Simple! Asszilla and I will compete in the challenge together and you compete alone! The first one to complete the challenge wins!"

Bruce thought this over again. "Alright, sounds fair. If I win, you have to get rid of Asszilla and never _ever_ complain about it," Bruce said.

"And if I win… you have to vote for yourself at elimination next time we lose," Bernard smirked.

"What?! But if I do that, then the votes will be off!" Bruce scowled. "The votes won't go to Tristen if I don't follow my own plan!"

Bernard shrugged, his smirk continuing to stick with him. "Then don't lose," Bernard said, walking off. "Thing is… I have Asszilla. So… you _will_ lose."

 **Confessional: How much can a donkey really do?**

 **Bruce:** (Scowls.) **Alright, fine. It's not like it's taking a side, it's merely solving the issue. If Bernard wants to waste his bet by targeting his number one ally by making his ally target himself, so be it. But I** _ **won't**_ **lose to Bernard. Asszilla is going away and I'm going to make sure it.**

 **Bernard:** (His smirk is still prominent on his face.) **Here's the thing. After Angelina flashed her panties at me last night, I talked to Asszilla. Nora and Angelina are still hot, and while their asses are in my mind, I need to make sure they stick around. Thing is, after Bruce targets Tristen, his sights will go to one of the girls. I can't let that happen, now can I? Asszilla agrees the best way to take care of Bruce is to make himself take himself out. Since I know we'll win this bet… things are looking up!**

Angelina bounced around happily, smiling to herself. She didn't really have a care in the world and was humming to herself. "I'm so happy right now! Nothing can make me _not_ happy!" Angelina giggled to herself as she changed her bounces into skips.

 **DING!**

"Again, that can't make me _not_ happy!" Angelina giggled.

"Since you're the only one around right this moment," Topher announced via intercom, "why don't we have a solo from you? You can sing whatever you want and no one would know, I promise."

Angelina stopped bouncing and thought this over. She nodded to herself. "Ok," she said. "Cue calm music please.

 **Song 5: Alone (This song has calm, deep music, as if it's conveying a message of sadness.)**

 **Angelina: I was always this one girl everyone looked up to.**

 **Everyone saw me as a hyper girl of death!**

 **But what they never saw and I let no one see**

 **Is that it takes me forever to take a single breath**

 **(Chorus)**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **I can't just show them and tell them why**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **Every time I think I almost cry**

 **(Music Solo)**

 **I can't just be this perfect girl**

 **I can't be accepted for what I believe**

 **Hyper is just a face, a mask**

 **What I really feel makes me heave**

 **(Chorus)**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **I can't just show them and tell them why**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **Every time I think I almost cry**

 **(Music Solo)**

 **I'm not only this hyper ditz**

 **There's a side of me I've had to fight**

 **Life just isn't fun and games**

 **Who truly knows what is right?**

 **(Chorus)**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **I can't just show them and tell them why**

 **No one knows who I am**

 **Every time I think I almost cry**

Angelina finished singing and gave a sigh. A tear fell from her eye and onto the hot ground. But, instead of dwelling, a giant smile appeared on her face. "I wonder if Mr. Boss has tacos for breakfast!" Angelina giggled and continued to skip off into the distance.

Unbeknownst to Angelina, Nora was sitting behind a rock. "No…," she whispered to herself.

 **Confessional: Topher you liar!**

 **Angelina: I really like butterscotch cinnamon pie! I mean, what's** _ **not**_ **to like about it? It tastes like home! Not that** _ **actual**_ **houses taste like butterscotch cinnamon pie, but I feel like I'm in a home whenever I eat it!** (Giggles.) **I could say the same thing about bathtubs, but the reason for that may be a bit inappropriate for little kids!**

 **Nora:** (Shaking in fear.) **Angelina must be destroyed. Everyone must be destroyed… I must break them all… Redrick wants that… I must not fail him…**

Tristen was off by himself doing some push-ups. He was huffing and sweating, but overall, he seemed to be maintaining himself. "A few more… then I'm done," he said to himself. He did about seven more push-ups before stopping, taking a few deep breaths. "All in all, a good workout I'd say," Tristen smiled to himself.

As he sat and rest, he noticed Nora pass by him. He offered her a smile. "Hey Nora!" Tristen called. Nora visibly tensed, but walked over to where Tristen was. Tristen noticed that Nora was shaking. "Hey, is something wrong?"

"No," Nora said, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine. I had a dream last night… hence why I don't sleep often." Nora stopped. "Don't ask me things about me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," Tristen said, holding his hands up. "It's just friend's make small talk with friends."

Nora's rigidness increased. "Friends?" Nora asked hesitantly. "You think we're… friends?"

"Well yeah. We get along well enough and I kind of admire your ability to observe people as well as well as you do," Tristen said with a shrug. "So… yeah, I wouldn't be embarrassed to call you a friend of mine."

Nora was now really shaking. "I…I…Angelina's hiding something from you! She's bisexual and she's not in the place you think she's in!"

Tristen blinked. "What?"

"She's hyper because she feels it's the only way her life can be happy!" Nora spilled out. "The real Angelina isn't who you see on a day to day basis! The Angelina you see is a big fat lie!"

"Huh? Why would you…" Tristen said, shaking his head.

"I… I… I…I need to go," Nora said, shaking violently. She ran off, leaving Tristen alone, who simply blinked as he watched her run off.

"What… just happened?" Tristen asked.

 **Confessional: Lots of things!**

 **Tristen:** (Looks confused and conflicted.) **Angelina…** _ **isn't**_ **Angelina? No, that's not right. The Angelina I see is still Angelina. Maybe she's keeping something to herself, but whatever it is, it's something** _ **she's**_ **dealing with. I might bring it up sometime to see if everything's ok, but I'm not going to have her talk about things that are rough for her to deal with. Does her being bisexual change anything? No, it really doesn't. What bugs me… is why Nora would** _ **tell**_ **me that. Up till now, she's kept really secret information to herself. So why** _ **now**_ **would she start spreading it?**

 **(Fire House)**

Roxanne was humming to herself, bobbing her head side to side. She was smiling the whole while, thinking hard. "Maybe I should try poking people with a spoon until they die," Roxanne said to herself. "That would be awesome!"

Roxanne continued her way forward, her smile never wavering. However, someone ran smack into her. Roxanne fell backward and smacked her head on the ground. Roxanne moaned, rubbing her head. "Ow! That was fun!" she giggled.

"Sorry," came a shaky voice. Roxanne noticed that it was Nora, taking deep, shaky breaths. Roxanne cocked her head to the side, looking Nora over.

"Huh," Roxanne said. "Nora, right?"

"Yeah… sorry…," Nora said, breathing deeply and getting a grip. Her shakiness subsided, although she was still shaking a little. "Roxanne, correct?"

"Yep!" Roxanne said, then frowned. "I swear… do I _know_ you?" Roxanne asked.

Nora frowned. "No, you don't. They day we met was the start of the contest. If I would have met you beforehand… I would have probably been disgusted by what you do."

"Kill people?" Roxanne giggled. "Only doing what I have to!" Roxanne paused. "Are you _sure_ we haven't met before? Maybe, I don't know… when we were seven?"

"When I was seven I was being raised in Manhattan down in the states. I was there since I was three till I turned fourteen. I moved to Canada when I was fourteen and I've been here for two years, making me sixteen," Nora said, frowning. "I'm not originally Canadian."

"I went on a conference to Manhattan when I was little," Roxanne said. "Maybe we met then?"

"No, I don't think so," Nora said, shaking her head. "My guardian's picky about what I do with my free time. I hardly ever leave the house I live at."

"Hmm… ok then!" Roxanne said. "Must be my extensive, murderous imagination!"

"Attention all contestants!" Topher announced. "The challenge will be starting shortly! Please report to the four wheelers and we'll take you to it!"

 **Confessional: An imagination I don't really want to visit.**

 **Roxanne: I've met a lot of people in my travels of murder sprees! Sure, I** _ **normally**_ **stick to my neighborhood, but it's nice to get a few random people from other countries to fill my quota list. Makes it seem a bit more colorful if you ask me. I guess I must be mistaking Nora for some other black seven year old girl from Manhattan. Must be a bunch of them, right?**

 **Nora: Roxanne must be mistaking me for someone else. I mean, Redrick brings me to a lot of gatherings, but I would remember… wait… no, I** _ **wouldn't**_ **remember. Redrick didn't start teaching me until** _ **after**_ **I turned ten. Still, I would remember a whacko like Roxanne, and I have** _ **not**_ **met her.**

 **(Cavern of the Lava Well)**

The ten contestants had gathered together and were brought to a small hill. This hill several holes in the side of it, all leading into tunnels that ran beneath it. Topher and Amy stood in front of the contestants, the former with a grin, the latter with a scowl.

"Good morning everyone," Topher said. "As the Lying Lava can clearly see, the Valiant Volcanos eliminated Jeremy last night."

"Hmm… I wonder why," Bruce grumbled. "He didn't seem too much like a problem to me."

"Now then, for today's challenge, we're going to split you up into groups of two," Amy grumbled. "One of you will have to rough it alone because we're mean and don't play fair."

"You mean _you're_ mean and _you_ don't play fair," Topher said flatly.

"Same dif," Amy shrugged indifferently.

"Anyway, the challenge is actually quite simple," Topher said. "Each group will be given a bucket. You will have to navigate your way through the caverns to the center, which has a well. You have to lower the bucket in and bring back a bucket of lava. The first team to bring back three buckets of lava wins immunity. Losing team has to vote someone off."

"Ha. This is the perfect chance for Asszilla and I to prove Bruce wrong," Bernard smirked.

"We _would_ randomly chose the groups… but Topher said he'll let you decide," Amy grumbled.

"I'll go solo," Bruce shrugged.

"Same!" Gracie called out.

"I'll go in with Roxanne," Randall offered.

"Works for me, victim A!"

"I want to go in with Nora," Tristen said, making Nora flinch. "Sorry Angelina. Maybe next time."

"Mr. Boss is taken, so that means Bernard is mine!" Angelina giggled.

Bernard groaned. "Asszilla, protect me," he grumbled.

Kellie hesitantly looked at Boomer. "I guess… you and me?" Kellie asked.

"SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!" Boomer said with a smile.

"Alright, sounds like the groups are formed," Topher nodded. "We'll start the challenge and you guys can take off… right after the break!"

 **Confessional: Pair up with pears!**

 **Roxanne: Randall is strange. He teams up with me even though he knows I'm going to kill him. Maybe I'll make it quick, just to show how much I really do care for the guy!**

 **Boomer: I GUESS KELLIE AND I ARE WORKING TOGETHER DURING THIS CHALLENGE! I HOPE IT DOESN'T MAKE THINGS TOO AWKWARD BETWEEN US! I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID TO HER THIS MORNING! MAYBE I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WITHOUT MAKING HER MAD AT ME?! … YEAH, I DON'T THINK SO EITHER!**

 **Gracie: I just need some time alone to think. Maybe it's just the fact I still feel bad for myself, but I guess it's mostly just me wanting alone time. Not much to ask, right?**

 **Bernard: Angelina better get it through her skull that she's not slowing me down! I have to beat Bruce fair and square, so she'll just have to catch up to me and Asszilla. I'd rather her have to stare at my ass than me staring at her's… well, you know. So I don't get distracted.**

 **BN: Things are really heating up now! I hope you guys continue to enjoy this fic! Please leave a review saying what you liked in the chapter and who I need to approve on! Also tell me which character you think shined in this chapter! Thanks for all your support and I'll be seeing you guys again shortly!**

 **Next Time:** The groups travel the cave network and search for the well. Drama happens, Asszilla gets hungry, and someone gets so lost they throw a rock in anger. (Bet you can't guess who that is.) One team wins, one team loses, and someone else is voted off.


	12. E5 P2: The Cavern of the Fire Well

**Disclaimer: I own the 14 OCs that appear in this fic plus Quiltal. Everything else is probs not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Time lines have been easy for me. If I could ever reset this time line, I would. I've been through pain and things I would** _ **never**_ **want to live through again… but I still do day in and day out every so often. The reset button has always been something I wanted in my life. But… would you reset the timeline knowing someone else would have to live through their own pain again? It's not like they'd remember… but it's the** _ **idea.**_ **Sorry… I'll stop ranting now. Depending on how I feel, I might go back to TDASB… but it depends. The fate of a certain plot line is kind of hanging in the balance. Till then, enjoy.**

Well, the well knows well.

E5 P2: Cavern of the Lava Well

Both team had split off into their individual groups of two. They all stood at one of the openings into the tunnels. They each wanted to win this challenge, some having more at stake than others. Topher glanced at the contestants and gave a huge grin.

"Remember, first team back with three buckets of lava wins immunity," Topher said. "And just so you know, you _can't_ steal someone else's bucket to make three. You _have_ to have three filled buckets from each group we send out."

"They know already, dumb #$%," Amy grumbled. "Get the #$% out of here you pieces of #$%!" Taking that as the sign for go, the two teams dove into the caverns, determined to win. As they did so, Topher scowled at Amy.

"Would it hurt you to be a bit nicer?" Topher asked.

"No," Amy said with a shrug. "It'd probably kill me."

 **Confessional: Niceness never hurt no one!**

 **Nora: Avoid emotion… avoid talking… I cannot and will not make contact with Tristen… he makes me feel. Redrick does not want me to feel. Therefore, I won't. I must not fall for Tristen's friendliness.**

 **Randall: Taking initiative isn't the easiest thing in the world. Roxanne's a great villain to be allies with, but she's super difficult to deal with when it comes to the others. Now that I have her alone, I can try and calm her down, at least a little. If we don't lose the challenge, I'll let her try and kill someone, just to humor her.**

 **Bruce: Bernard will** _ **not**_ **make a fool out of me. I'm obviously better at strategy than he is. If I want to get rid of Asszilla, I** _ **will**_ **get rid of Asszilla. I refuse to lose and that is that.**

 **(Angelina and Bernard)**

Angelina and Bernard had entered their entrance of the cave. Bernard was riding on top of Asszilla and was going at top speed, not even slowing down to let Angelina keep pace. However, Angelina managed to keep pace with Asszilla _anyway_ , smiling as she skipped alongside Asszilla as he made his way down the rocky cave.

"How the #$% can you keep up with us?" Bernard scowled after a little ways into the cave. "Asszilla is going so fast I doubt Tristen could keep up with us!"

Angelina giggled, rolling her eyes playfully as she skipped side by side with Asszilla. "Tristen is great and can do a lot of the heavy work," Angelina said. "He doesn't have endless energy like me! I can probably go on for _years_ without getting to tired! As for speed… I claim the right to remain silent!"

Bernard raised an eyebrow while simultaneously scowling at the same time. "I kind of want to know now," Bernard grumbled. "Thing is, not only will you pester me about some crap I probably don't want to here, but I can't let you distract me."

Angelina cocked her head to the side. "Why?" she asked him.

"Because I can't afford to lose this challenge!"

"Why?"

"Because if I lose, I lose Asszilla!"

"Why?"

"Because Bruce is a piece of #$%!"

"Why?"

"Because he's a #$% hypocrite!"

"Why?"

" #$% if I know!"

"Why?"

"Are you just going to repeat that over and over again?!" Bernard snapped. "Because if so, I can't bother with distractions right now! You are a #$% distraction!"

Angelina thought this over. "Ok!" Angelina said and jumped high, well up in the air. When she came down, her skirt flew up, revealing her green panties. When she landed on the ground, she giggled and continued skipping. Bernard stuttered and seemed flustered. "Distracted?"

"Gah, fuh, bah, lah, jah… SHUT UP! ASSZILLA! FORWARD #$%IT!" Bernard screamed, shutting his eyes. Asszilla huffed and increased its pace, trying to get as far away from Angelina as he possibly could. However, Angelina merely giggled again and skipped faster, matching the speed Asszila kept increasing.

 **Confessional: And things have only just barely started!**

 **Bernard:** (Grunts.) **The one time in this contest I'm** _ **not**_ **going for ass and all of the sudden it's being given to me! Ugh!** (Sighs, shaking his head.) **Angelina is so hard to keep still… if I were banging her that would be a good thing… guh! Bernard, focus!** (Bernard hits his head against the wall and promptly knocks himself out.)

 **Angelina:** (Walks into the confessional and finds the unconscious Bernard lying in there and giggles.) **Because sleeping while relieving yourself is healthy! I totally believe that too!** (She giggles again, bouncing up and down.) **Maybe I can take Asszilla for a pony ride!** (A whiny is heard from outside the confessional and the sounds of running are heard.) **Wait! Asszilla, come back!** (Angelina bolts out of the confessional.)

 **Bernard:** (Groans.) **What happened again?**

 **(Bruce)**

Bruce was calmly making his way down his section of the caves. He made notes inside of his head in the directions he was taking, mentally mapping the area. When he came to a dead end, he nodded, added it to his mental map, and backtracked, heading a different why. While it would be difficult for a normal person, Bruce seemed to be doing this with a natural ease.

"Hmph. I bet Bernard couldn't track where he is," Bruce said. "Not that it matters. So long as I win our little bet, no need to wish he was better. Wishing he was better and finding things would just make my job that much more hard."

Bruce continued his way down an especially narrow cavern. "Not that Bernard is a worthy opponent, even if I cared about sides," Bruce noted. "He's just a pawn of the universe, used as a cruel joke. I pity the man, let alone the fool who actually starts dating him."

Bruce sighed, shaking his head. "Bernard… you truly do have problems," he said. "Thing is, those problems don't directly affect me, so as far as I care… I really don't give a #$%. The problems that _do_ affect me are currently Tristen and Nora. The fact they're working together during the challenge isn't good… but Angelina will vote for Bernard. I could win a tie breaker against Tristen, no problem. Tristen is weaker than he seems."

Bruce shook his head. "Focus," he hissed to himself. Bruce continued walking until he came to a fork in the path. The left path seemed to have a greenish-purple glow coming from it while the right cavern had red, orange, and yellow cave paintings. Bruce examined both hallways. "Considering I want a lava well… perhaps these paintings will be of some use to me," Bruce decided and started his way down the right path.

 **Confessional: I thought Nora was the observant one.**

 **Bruce: This game is a simpler thing to play than people know. Sure, this looming threat of Bernard's bet rings true, but I'm not really concerned for that. Bernard will lose and Asszilla will go, along with Tristen. Things are going according to plan and I doubt anything will happen to counter them. With that said… there's a mood in the air. As if… nah. I don't take sides. Drama is for those fools who think sides don't hurt people.** (He clenches his fists.) **They're #$% wrong. Because sides hurt people… innocent people… people who don't #$% deserve it…**

 **(Nora and Tristen)**

Nora and Tristen had been silent ever since they had entered the cave. Tristen jogged in the lead, taking short, quick breaths. Nora followed slightly behind him, keeping up, but only just so to prevent the need for any type of conversation. She managed to avoid saying a word until they came to what appeared to be an abyss. The path continued on the other side of the chasm, but the chasm itself was too wide to jump over.

Tristen kicked a rock into the abyss. It fell and fell until both of them heard a very faint sizzle. Tristen notably winced. "Yeah, we aren't jumping," he said. "If we miss, we're toast."

"Puns aren't your style," Nora drawled shifting nervously. "Perhaps we should wait for something opportune to happen."

Tristen raised an eyebrow. "I'm all for fate, but waiting seems a bit risky given the situation," Tristen said. "The only way forward is past this chasm. Waiting for something to happen to get across won't get us anywhere."

"Patience is a necessity for how I work," Nora said, sitting down on the ground. "I can only devise something over time. Redrick taught me how to reduce that time, but the time stamp still remains. The more complicated the thing I'm trying to devise, the longer it takes for me to do it."

"Took you five days to devise Angelina then," Tristen said, walking behind Nora and looking for something to cross the chasm with. Nora went rigid, but Tristen continued anyway. "I had pretty much deduced she was bisexual myself, actually. I didn't bring it up because I don't believe that sexuality is a big deal and it didn't affect me personally."

"When did you find out this information?" Nora asked hesitantly.

"Day three or four," Tristen said, making Nora pale slightly. Tristen took note of it as he started feeling the wall. "But I don't think Angelina would appreciate me analyzing her."

"I wish to stop talking," Nora said.

Tristen nodded. "Suit yourself," he said. "I'll respect your wish for silence and go back to looking for a way to cross."

 **Confessional: Go back to it? Weren't you already doing it?**

 **Nora:** (Shaking visibly.) **Tristen knew before me… no, he couldn't have. I know something he doesn't… I know something I've figured out** _ **before**_ **he did. I could use it to** _ **destroy**_ **Angelina… I must… for Redrick to be satisfied…**

 **Tristen: Something's been tugging at me. If Nora were any other bully, she would have been a jerk about the information she gave me before. But that wasn't it just now. Nora seemed generally** _ **afraid**_ **of something. I'm not sure what, and I hate intruding on other people's private matters, but I want to make sure that she's alright.**

 **(Boomer and Kellie)**

Boomer and Kellie were both walking down the cave, the latter of the two as silent as she could be. Boomer took notice of Kellie's silence, but decided not to stimulate her and kept silent himself. As the cave started to slant downward, Kellie took a shaky breath.

"So… uh… the weather's been nice," Kellie said.

Boomer chuckled. "REALLY?! OF ALL THE LINES YOU COULD HAVE GONE FOR, YOU GO FOR THAT ONE? I WOULD HAVE DONE A FANCY PICK-UP LINE OR SOMETHING!" Boomer said, chuckling.

"Yeah, well… SHUT UP! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU!" Kellie snapped. She took a few cautious breaths, calming herself down. "No… I didn't mean that."

"I'VE KIND OF REALIZED THAT!" Boomer said with a smile. "YOU GET ANGRY EASILY AND THAT ANGER FUELS YOUR FEELINGS! YOU END UP SAYING THINGS YOU ACTUALLY DON'T MEAN AND UPSET PEOPLE YOU DON'T MEAN TO UPSET! IT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTROL NOW, WHICH I UNDERSTAND MUST BE DIFFICULT!"

"You have no #$% idea," Kellie muttered. "I hate everything… I despise everything… I WANT TO KILL EVERYTHING! URGH!" Kellie reached down, picked up a rock, and threw it down the cavern. It smacked into the wall so hard, the wall broke into pieces, opening up another pathway.

"BUT…" Boomer gestured as they made their way to the hole Kellie made.

"But… I _don't_ ," Kellie sighed. "All I ever feel is anger Boomer. I don't know _how_ to like, tolerate… love. All of it… it doesn't compute with me. AND IT #$% TICKS ME OFF #$%IT!"

"SOMETIMES LEARNING HOW TO FEEL TAKES TIME!" Boomer said. "I'LL BE HERE IF YOU NEED SUPPORT! IF THINGS GET FRUSTRATING AND YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELF… THINK OF ME AND I'LL HELP YOU!" Kellie blinked and nodded, a small blush on her cheeks. The two reached the hole and Boomer inspected it.

"SEEMS LIKE THIS TUNNEL GOES DOWN A WAYS!" Boomer said. "SHOULD WE CHECK IT OUT?! IT MIGHT ACTUALLY GET US CLOSER TO THE WELL IF WE DO!"

Kellie thought this over and shook her head. "We should focus on the path we were assigned," Kellie said. "Might take us longer, but if we lose… I MIGHT SCREAM! URGH!" Kellie yelled.

"UNDERSTANDABLE!" Boomer chuckled as they abandoned the hole and continued down the normal path. "BUT HEY, AT LEAST THEN YOU CAN CHANNEL YOUR ANGER ONTO ROXANNE, AM I RIGHT?!"

"That's the first thing you said that doesn't tick me off," Kellie nodded.

 **Confessional: Progress!**

 **Kellie:** (Taking calm breaths.) **Boomer's there for me… I can be in control… I can feel more than anger… I am more than just rage… #$%IT! THINKING OF BOOMER MAKES ME FEEL THAT #$% FEELING AND THAT FEELING TICKS ME OFF!**

 **Boomer: THESE TUNNELS ARE PRETTY EXTENSIVE! I DON'T THINK THAT THE TUNNELS WE'RE EXPLORING ARE THE ONLY UNDERGROUND NETWORKS ON THIS ISLAND! I MEAN, IT DOESN'T REALLY FEEL LIKE IT, BUT FIRE ISLAND IS ACTUALLY PRETTY HUGE! I WONDER IF IT'S THE BIGGEST OF THESE ISLANDS!**

 **(Gracie)**

Gracie was walking down the hallway, humming a tune to herself. She seemed to be in an area of the caves where there were green crystals, sparkling. She thought of taking one for herself, but seeing as she was already rich, she figured it'd be best if she didn't bother the environment.

"This island really is kind of pretty," Gracie noted to herself with a giant grin. "This scenery is just what I needed to calm down and forget all of the drama. Just peace, quiet, and no worries in sight anywhere down here."

Gracie took a breath and smiled again. "Maybe after the contest, I can buy this island and make it a tourist spot," Gracie noted. "I wouldn't damage the scenery, but I'd make the Fire House a hotel and then have tours to all the places the challenges have taken place. It'd be pretty nice."

Gracie giggled to herself, rolling her eyes. "Who am I kidding? I don't have to _buy_ the island! Daddy already owns it! I mean, if he owns Total Drama, he has to own the island. So, by extension, _I_ own the island! Kind of funny how that works out, huh?"

Gracie looked around and giggled. "There I go, talking to myself," Gracie said, rolling her eyes playfully to herself. "If I keep doing that, people will think I'm crazy!"

 **Confessional: Roxanne kind of has that title already.**

 **Gracie: The Ino family actually owns a lot of the TV shows on TV now a days. Heck, we own a lot of popular video games too. We don't really advertise what we own because we don't want people bugging us about it. We normally hire someone to take credit for what we own so we don't deal with all the drama and stress of being the big head of one company. Plus, if anything goes wrong… we wouldn't be the fall guys either. Harsh, but kind of necessary now a days. The only exceptions are My Little Brony, which I wanted Daddy to make for me, and Total Drama, which was too popular to** _ **not**_ **take credit for.**

 **(Randall and Roxanne)**

Randall and Roxanne were making their way through a pretty straight forward tunnel. They hadn't needed to turn or navigate too much. They kept walking straight, which led to the one thing that was starting to wear Randall's nerves.

Roxanne's boredom.

"I'm so bored!" Roxanne whined loudly. "I want to kill something! Can I kill you? Please?! I need to satisfy myself and I can't do that unless I kill something!"

"No," Randall said for what he felt like the thousandth time. "If you kill me, I can't help you get farther in this game. And considering the fact that people don't like you very much… yeah, you kind of need me to help you through."

Roxanne moaned. "But I need to not be bored!" Roxanne whined. "Can I at least chop off a body part of yours?"

"I kind of like all my body parts," Randall said flatly.

"But castration is so much fun!"

Randall shivered, shaking his head furiously. "I quite like that part the most, thank you very much," Randall said.

"Why? I took out my reproductive organs because someone dared me to. Why can't I just chop off…"

"Because apparently you don't want to have kids," Randall interrupted. "And I, despite not seeming like the fatherly type, _do_. _Someone_ has to continue on my sneaky legacy. So, to drop this convo, you aren't castrating me."

Roxanne cocked her head, but fell somewhat silent. "Ok then! I'll think of something else," she said and didn't say anything else after that, much to Randall's relief.

 **Confessional: I don't have body parts.**

 **Roxanne: Maybe I should gouge his eyes out! That's fairly easy to do with a rock, and I don't really have any of my normal equipment. I'm kind of unprepared today. I normally have** _ **something**_ **on me, like a hacksaw or a screwdriver. But nope, I left them all back at the Fire House! This is so embarrassing…**

 **Randall:** (Rolling his eyes.) **Love Roxanne to death as a villain, seriously. Nothing will ever really change that opinion. But #$%it… Roxanne can fricking** _ **annoy**_ **me. I've told her not to kill me over and over and she has the memory of an amnesia patient. Ugh… I liked our 'relationship' better when we didn't have to talk for an extended periods of time…**

 **(Angelina and Bernard)**

Bernard and Asszilla were getting tired as they continued to try and out run Angelina. How Bernard got tired no one really knew, but it didn't really matter anyway. Asszilla was panting as it glanced next to him, seeing Angelina continue to skip, not even looking close to stopping.

"Quit distracting me," Bernard groaned.

"I actually haven't said a word since we started this fun chase!" Angelina said with a giant smile. "But if you want me to start talking senselessly… ok! I can do that! I once had a date with weasel! He didn't really know it was a date, but I insisted, so I think he just thought it was a get together where we went to a movie! We went to go see this random movie I made when I was a baby! Don't ask me how I still had that, because I don't think cell phones existed back then! Anyway, we were on this date and this weasel up and tries to steal my panties from my dresser! I guess it was kind of easy, seeing as I don't have padlocks on my drawers and there are holes in it, but that little weasel was still a little panty theif! So, using an eagle, I sent it to steal back my panties from this little weasel! Long story short, I didn't see the weasel again, but I saw an eagle wearing panties a few days later and I was like, oh, ok, I guess birds are wearing clothes now! Yay!"

Bernard groaned. "I don't want to hear panty stories!" Bernard said. "It's giving me ideas and I don't want ideas! I need to beat Bruce!"

Angelina gasped, covering her mouth. "I know Bruce is kind of a meanie, but _beat_ him? Like, how bad of a beating? A stick? A metal pole? That's really harsh Bernard! How naughty of you!"

"And me being a perv _wasn't_ naughty?" Bernard said flatly. "No, I meant I have to beat Bruce in getting to the Lava Well. We have a bet going and I have to finish the challenge first."

Angelina cocked her head. "Ok then!" she said. "I guess I'll have to help you!"

"Huh?" Bernard asked.

"Yep! Bruce wanted me to vote for you if we lost! If I help you win the challenge and make you seem great, then you won't go home even if I do vote for you! And you're kind of a fun person to tease!" Angelina giggled. "If we win the challenge as a whole, then bonus!"

Bernard blinked and offered Angelina a generous smile. "I appreciate that," Bernard asked. "Just… don't flash me again."

"Ok!" Angelina giggled and promptly flashed her panties at him. Bernard stuttered and blundered, making Angelina giggle. "Sorry! Couldn't resist!"

 **Confessional: Geez, Angelina's kind of being a jerk.**

 **Angelina: Normally I'm not this… what's the word… slutty, I guess? I'm actually very conscious about my body and I prefer to keep myself as covered as possible. But teasing Bernard is funny and I doubt he'll cross any boundaries I don't want him to cross. It's all fun and games for me, and that's how it'll stay!** (Giggles.) **Goat teenagers don't eat dead milk fat!**

 **Bernard: So, Bruce is trying to get rid of me, is he? Well then, all the more reason to win this bet. Two votes against Bruce has to** _ **guarantee**_ **a good chance of him going home. Angelina might be voting for me, but hey, at least she doesn't** _ **want**_ **me to go. That must amount to something.**

 **(Bruce)**

Bruce was continuing down the hallway with cave paintings on the wall. As he did so, he glanced at some of the artwork, looking seemingly impressed. "There must have been some sort of tribe on this island a long time ago," Bruce said. "Fire Tribe, since that seems to be the symbol the use to describe themselves."

Bruce continued to admire the artwork until he got to a certain cave painting. It was of the Fire Tribe symbol inside of what appeared to be that of a boat. It appeared to be floating to a different island, painted what appeared to be a turquoise island.

Bruce continued forward and noticed that the paintings suddenly got a bit grimmer. Several Fire Tribe members, all marked by a red dye, laid what appeared to be dead on this new island. Likewise, the turquoise tribe, with what appeared to have a danger symbol to symbolize itself, laid dead as well. In the center was a picture of yellow eyes, a pair of swords behind it.

"What the heck?" Bruce asked, touching the picture. The section of the cave Bruce had touched sunk into the wall, making Bruce stumble. A small section behind him opened, revealing a small room with a pedestal on it. Bruce balanced himself and continued to look at the picture.

"So these two tribes went to war," Bruce said. "But… this thing in the center… did it kill everyone on both tribes? And… who is he?" Figuring he more than likely wasn't going to get an answer, Bruce went into the hidden room. There was a pedestal in the center with something on top.

A Fire Idol.

"I guess luck is on my side," Bruce nodded, grabbing the idol. "Although… I wonder how someone managed to get one in here. I _did_ stumble in on it on accident. Oh well. It's not like I actually _need_ this thing, since there's no sides on my team, but it couldn't hurt to hold onto it," he said as he grabbed the idol and put it in his pocket.

 **Confessional: There's that dang idol!**

 **Bruce: Those drawings were actually pretty good. From what I could tell, there was a tribe of Indians on this island that worshipped the god of fire, or Volcanous, as I think that's what the word translates into.** (Shrugs.) **I studied a bit about Indian lore a few years back. Who knew I'd be using this knowledge here in the contest, huh?** (Bruce pauses.) **Makes me wonder if the Fire Tribe attacked tribes from other islands if they worshipped a different god… the things you ponder, huh?**

 **(Nora and Tristen)**

Tristen had come up with nothing to get across the chasm. He sighed, walking to the edge and looking across longingly. "We can't jump. No way am I risking it," Tristen said. "But there's _nothing_ we can do to get across. I can't find anything that could possibly help us."

"Patience is a virtue for a reason," Nora said, who was still sitting with her eyes shut. "At some point in time, the thing we wish more than anything could happen. But this is true so long as you are patient. If you are not patient, your goals are meaningless."

Tristen paused as she said this. "You sound like you've been through this before," Tristen asked.

Nora faintly stiffened. "Yes," she said. "I've wished for something so hard that I've almost lost my patience. But I know that my wish will come true so long as I wait. I've done everything I've had to, even things I did not wish to do. But I must be patient, because actions only end in trouble."

Tristen digested that for a moment. "You're still waiting for that wish, aren't you? You've waited for a long time and you are _still_ waiting. I'm right, aren't I?" Nora nodded, very slowly. Tristen sighed, walking over to Nora and sitting next to her.

"You can't win by waiting," Tristen said to her. Nora was about to protest but Tristen lifted his hand and put a finger to her lips. "No, listen. I don't know what goes on in your life. I don't know why you told me what you did about Angelina. I don't know anything about you other than that your guardian is Redrick and that you have the ability to observe. But I _do_ know this Nora, and if you get nothing else from this contest, I want you to take this."

"Unless you care a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better. It's not."

Right after Tristen finished speaking, a large _**CRACK**_ could be heard from above. A _giant_ stalactite had broken from the ceiling and fell into the chasm. The sides caught both sides of the chasm, allowing a path to the other side. Tristen stood up, a smile on his face.

"Patience worked this time Nora," Tristen said as Nora stood up. "But doing nothing doesn't always get results. Remember that." Tristen began to jog down the path, leaving Nora with a bunch of mixed knowledge and feelings churning inside of her.

 **Confessional: Because quoting the Lorax always brings the feelings to the surface!**

 **Nora:** (Looks super conflicted.) **Tristen… you make this more complicated for me every time we speak to each other. I have to hurt you… I** _ **have**_ **to… I don't have a choice in this. Getting close to you isn't an option…**

 **Tristen: Nora is a complex individual. She's obviously more than what she wants us to know she is. I'm not going to push her, but I will help her. I don't know what is going on in her life, but I can guess. And really… guessing is all Nora does. So why can't I?**

 **(Boomer and Kellie)**

Kellie and Boomer had been walking for a while down the cavern, not coming to too many twists or turns. There was one _giant_ turn back the way they came, but they didn't really pay any heed to it. Kellie was breathing deeply and Boomer let her take her time. After a while, Kellie sighed.

"This isn't fully my fault," Kellie said aloud.

Boomer thought about this for a moment. "YOU'RE ANGER?!" he asked her. Kellie nodded slightly, her expression conflicted. "HOW DO YOU MEAN?!"

"I mean… I get it from my family," Kellie said. "Our whole family has this issue with… anger. It's been passed down from each generations on _both_ sides of my family. With the rage building up both sides… I come along."

Boomer nodded, digesting this. "SO YOU NOT ONLY HAVE ANGER BUILT UP FROM ONE SIDE, BUT BOTH! THAT MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST NORMAL ANGER, YOU HAVE DOUBLE ANGER!"

Kellie nodded with a side. "My parents are great Boomer… they don't treat me wrong," Kellie said, struggling with her words. "But… we use our voices to solve problems."

Boomer nodded as they continued forward. "I CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM!" Boomer said. "IT'S NOT REALLY ANGER THEN, IS IT?"

"Huh?" Kellie asked in shock.

"I THINK WHAT YOUR FAMILY HAS IS MORE OF FRUSTRATION," Boomer said. "YOU GUYS DON'T MEAN WHAT YOU SAY, YOU JUST SAY IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU _THINK_ YOU FEEL! I THINK IT'S JUST FRUSTRATION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T EASILY PUT THINGS TOGETHER QUICKLY! WHICH ISN'T REALLY A BAD THING IF YOU ASK ME, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME!"

Kellie was silent for a few seconds… before her eye began to twitch. " #$%IT!" she yelled angrily.

"IT'S ONLY A THEORY! NO REASON TO GET UPSET ABOUT IT!"

"Not that you #$% idiot! WE'RE TRAVELING IN #$% CIRCLES!" Kellie screamed. Sure enough, as the two walked forward, the hole Kellie had made earlier appeared. Kellie screamed in rage and began pounding her head with her fist. " #$%it! WE'RE #$% LOST!"

Boomer glanced at the hole, then at the other wall. "ACTUALLY KELLIE, WE AREN'T!" Boomer said. "GET ANGRY AT THE WALL!"

"What? Why the #$% would I get angry at a wall?" Kellie asked flatly.

"GET ANGRY AT THE #$% WALL WOMEN!" Boomer screamed louder than normal.

"THAT'S #$% SEXIST #$%IT! ARGH!" Kellie screamed, picked up a rock, and chucked it at Boomer. Boomer dodged it and the rock smacked into the wall. The wall crumbled down, revealing another connection of tunnels. Boomer smiled, nodding his heads.

"OUR TUNNELS ARE MORE OF A SWIRL!" Boomer said. "IT GOES BACK AND FORTH UNTIL WE GET TO THE CENTER WHERE THE WELL IS! ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SMASH THE WALLS UNTIL WE GET THERE!"

Kellie thought about this… and smirked. "Boomer, make me angry," Kellie said. "I'm going to #$% KILL THESE SONS OF #$% WALLS!"

 **Confessional: This is how you use an angry person's anger to your advantage.**

 **Boomer: KELLIE MUST HAVE SHARED THAT WITH ME BECAUSE I SHARED WITH HER MY DEAFNESS YESTERDAY! I GUESS SHE KIND OF WANTED TO EVEN OUT THE SCORE! IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT SHE'S NOT THIS WAY FOR A BAD REASON THOUGH!** (He pauses for a few moments.) **KELLIE'S PARENTS? YOU GUYS RAISED A GOOD DAUGHTER! I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HER AT ALL!**

 **Kellie: Using my rage to help me in challenges… it kind of pays off.** (Blushes.) **NO #$%IT! I DON'T THINK BOOMER'S #$% ATTRACTIVE FOR TELLING ME TO GET ANGRY! I DON'T #$% THINK IT'S HOT THAT HE'S INTELLIGENT! SO** _ **SHUT THE #$% UP!**_

 **(Gracie)**

Gracie had made her way through the crystal area and had now entered an area with cave paintings as well as crystals. Gracie looked at a few of the paintings with a smile. As she looked at some of the paintings in memory.

"I remember when I was a little kid and I used to paint art like this," she said to herself. "Kind of funny to see some of these. It's almost as though I painted them myself." Gracie giggled herself and took a few more steps forward.

The painting now before her was a picture of an orange and red stone. It had a fire symbol imbedded into it. Gracie looked over the painting, noticing that there were drawings of people seemingly bowing to it.

"Huh. Maybe some sort of idol worship?" Gracie guessed. "Whatever the case, I guess whoever used to live here must have painted these."

Gracie made a turn down another hallway. There were no paintings down this hallway, only crystals. Gracie started to walk down this hallway…

…only to get a slight chill. Gracie paused for a moment and then turned around. No one was behind her. Gracie took a breath of relief and turned back around. She made her way down the hallway, making another turn when it came up.

Behind her, on a wall, a scratch was heard. A small streak slowly appeared on the wall. More streaks appeared until a word was formed. The scratching stopped until the word was prominate on the wall.

 _HELP!_

 **Confessional: I'd love to, but I can't move.**

 **Gracie: You know, this walk alone has been** _ **really**_ **nice. Nothing stressful, nothing bad, just a simple walk with someone who can't upset me! I kind of wish the whole contest felt like this. I guess it can't… oh well…**

 **(Randall and Roxanne)**

The two contestants who started with the letter R were making their way down their tunnel. No talk has happened since their last conversation, which Randall was grateful for. However, Roxanne decided to break the silence for a moment.

"Hey Randall?"

Randall sighed. "If it's about killing me, no," Randall said flatly.

"No, actually. You said something earlier that I was kind of confused about," Roxanne said innocently.

Randall sighed again. "Fine, speak," he said.

"What made you think I didn't want to have kids?"

Randall stopped for a moment, slightly confused. "Um… maybe because your reproductive organs were cut out," Randall said. "Why?"

"Because I do want to have kids. A lot of them, actually."

"What, so you can raise them as a personal slaughter house?"

"Actually… no."

Randall raised an eyebrow. "Then why bring it up?" he asked her.

"I was kind of hurt when you thought I didn't want kids," Roxanne said. "I _do_. And… I want them to live differently than I do. I want them to have a life too. Something to look forward to."

Randall was silent for a few moments. "That sounds almost kind of you," Randall said. "Why the change of heart?"

"No change! I'm still the murder friendly girl you see in front of you!" she said with a smile. "I'm just not a heartless murderer, that's all!

"A murderer who has a heart? Yeah, sure," Randall said, rolling his eyes. "That's like saying mammals can lay eggs. They can't."

"Some mammals _can_ lay eggs!" Roxanne said with a smile. "Maybe I'm just one of those rare mammals!"

"Sure, and I'm a frog," Randall grunted.

"Ooo! Can I dissect your body and use your body parts for science so I can dissect more people… I mean, frogs!" Roxanne said, clapping her hands excitedly.

"And we're done talking," Randall said flatly. He quickened his pace, moving as fast as he could to be slightly ahead of Roxanne. Roxanne giggled and followed after him.

 **Confessional: I can't have kids either, so I feel for her.**

 **Roxanne: Murder, murder, everywhere! Murder, murder, in my hair! Murder, muder, everyone! Murder, murder, it's so much fun!** (Giggles hysterically.) **I should have been a cheerleader! Not only have I come up with some great rhymes, but I could** _ **flexibly**_ **kill someone!** (Giggles hysterically.) **Pun!**

 **Randall:** (Seems to be thinking intently.) **Roxanne's not as cutthroat murderous as I thought she was. Sure, kids are great… but I would assume Roxanne would breed kids only to kill them in cold blood to satisfy herself. Kind of a sick thought, but hey, she's a villain. She has sick and twisted fantasies. The fact she** _ **doesn't**_ **have that fantasy… begs the question of how twisted of a villain she really is. Makes a villain enthusiast wonder.**

In the center room of the tunnels, a rocky formation in the shape of a well sat waiting. After a few seconds of absolutely nothing happening, something happened. Something big. Something not necessarily expected.

Kellie burst through one of the walls.

" #$% YEAH #$%IT! SUCK IT! EVERYONE CAN SUCK IT!" Kellie roared.

"UM, KELLIE?" Boomer asked her.

"What?"

"THE BUCKET OF LAVA?!"

"I know! DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Kellie said defensively. Kellie jogged over to the well, which had a fire proof rope attached. Kellie attached the bucket and let it down. It didn't take long for her to pull it back up, full of lava.

"I HATE TO BE A KILL JOY, BECAUSE KILLING JOY IS A SIN IN MY BOOK, BUT WOULDN'T IT BE TOO HOT TO GRAB THE BUCKET?!" Boomer said. However, Boomer said this a bit too late. Kellie had already grabbed the bottom of the bucket. Little did either one know, the bucket was heat proof. But Kellie didn't know that.

" #$%!" Kellie screamed, tossing the bucket into the air. It fell back to the ground…

…right into Angelina's hands. "Hey look Bernard!" she said as Bernard walked into the room. "Lava!"

"Huh. I guess that works," Bernard shrugged. He grabbed his bucket and tossed it to Kellie. "Have fun with that. Also, I just have to say… nice ass."

Kellie snarled as Bernard and Angelina quickly left the room. " #$% perv…" Kellie snarled.

"LET'S JUST HURRY AND GET THE LAVA!" Boomer said. "YOU CAN BEAT UP BERNARD LATER!"

"I better get to beat him up later," Kellie grumbled. As she was just bringing the bucket back up of the well, Bruce walked into the room. He patiently waited for Kellie to finish before nodding and dipping his bucket into the well.

"Hey, Bernard wasn't here, was he? You know, the one on the ass?" Bruce asked as he retrieved his bucket of lava.

"You mean the one riding the ass, or the one who _was_ an ass?" Kellie grumbled to herself. "Just left. Now #$% off."

" #$% it… he's #$% ahead of me…" Bruce grumbled to himself and quickly sped out of the well room. Kellie and Boomer shrugged at this and quickly left themselves. Right as they did, Roxanne and Randall entered the room.

Randall quickly went to the well and strapped the bucket on it. As he lowered it, Roxanne approached him from behind. Before she could do anything, Randall said, "No."

"Aw, why?"

"Because I want to live right now," Randall said simply. He finished with the bucket and pulled it up. He carefully grabbed hold of it and turned for the exit. "You aren't getting the lava," Randall said flatly.

"Sounds fair. Besides, I already almost killed someone with lava! If anything, I pride myself in unique creativity!" Roxanne giggled. Randall and Roxanne had finished up right as Gracie ran into the room. Gracie nodded to herself and quickly got her bucket into the well. She just pulled out when Nora and Tristen walked in.

"You're the last one from your team," Nora said as she walked in.

"Um… Randall and Roxanne were just here," Gracie said awkwardly. "Not sure if Boomer and Kellie have been here before yet."

"Don't worry," Tristen shrugged. "Nora knows things. Better get going. I wouldn't want to lose by distracting you." Gracie nodded thankfully and quickly left the room. Tristen went to the well and began to lower the bucket inside.

"She wasn't the last one here," Nora said.

"Yeah, I figured as such," Tristen said, much to Nora's surprise. "You said to Gracie she was the last one on her team, right? I figured you said that to her to make her panicked, which could work out for us in the long run. However, another reason would be because the other two groups have already been here before us, so you're trying to even the playing field."

"Um… yeah, that's exactly right," Nora blinked.

"In that case, better hurry," Tristen said, pulling the bucket out of the well. Nora nodded and quickly followed behind Tristen, not wanting to end up in last place.

 **Confessional: Heat proof, fire proof, lava proof!**

 **Boomer: I THINK WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE THIS CHALLENGE IN THE BAG! KELLIE AND I CREATED OUR OWN SHORTCUT, SO THAT REDUCES THE AMMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO GET TO POINT A TO POINT B! I WON'T BE TOO COCKY THOUGH! OVERCONFIDENCE KILLED THE CAT! AT LEAST, THAT'S HOW I THINK THAT SAYING GOES!**

 **Bernard: Is it wrong that I believe I've already won Bruce and I's little bet? Everything's falling into my hands perfectly… and I have Asszilla to thank for that! All I have to do now is vote for Bruce!**

 **Nora: Hmmm… no.** (Looks at the camera.) **Oh… just thinking aloud. Nothing I really have to confess or anything.** (She quickly leaves the confessional.)

 **Randall: Sneakily grab the loot, sneakily get out. I have to say, this challenge is surprisingly tame. I'm not quite sure I like this, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. So long as we win or Roxanne kills someone, I'm good either way.**

 **(Angelina and Bernard)**

As the two made their way down the tunnel, Bernard remained silent as he sat on top of Asszilla. Angelina skipped slightly ahead of them, humming to herself happily. After a few moments of walking, Bernard spoke.

"So who is Tristen voting for if we lose?" Bernard asked her.

"I'm not all that sure," Angelina said nonchalantly. "I haven't spoken to him in a while. But that's ok! It's not like he dominates my life! Besides, whoever he votes for is his business, not my business!"

"Not when I need to _know_ it," Bernard grumbled. "Speaking of, are you and Tristen a couple? I would like to know for… personal reasons."

"Nope! But really, that's ok too," Angelina shrugged. "Tristen's a good friend and I'm glad we can be pals! Gets kind of lonely being me, so making friends with Tristen was a nice turn around!"

"Interesting," Bernard nodded.

"Do you like anyone?"

"Huh?" Bernard sputtered. "Why did you ask me that?! I'm trying to focus on things that matter right now, not senseless small talk!"

"I know, but I think its fair I get to ask you a question since you asked me one," Angelina shrugged. "The rock told me so!"

Bernard thought about this. "Fine, but only because the rock asked you," Bernard said, rolling his eyes. "I don't like _anyone_ specifically. I like everyone's asses equally."

"I like your beard!"

"Well thank you," Bernard nodded. "Now, can we move on from distracting me and have a few moments of peace?"

"Sure, but you were kind of the one who broke the silence to start with," Angelina pointed out with a giggle and skipped on forward.

Bernard blubbered. "Shut up!"

 **Confessional: Wow, great comeback Bernard.**

 **Bernard: I guess it was useful to know kind of how Angelina and Tristen are doing. So long as the two aren't together, I don't have to worry about Tristen as a possible threat to my territory as Alpha Male. I don't technically have to worry about Bruce either… but between the two, Bruce is more of a lose canon I don't have as much control over.**

 **Angelina: Did you know turtles wear ties? I seriously didn't know that was a thing!** (Angelina holds up a turtle with a necktie.) **Isn't he adorable?! I wonder where he came from! Maybe Africa! Or, wait… Antarctica! Yeah, that sounds totally more realistic than Africa!**

 **(Bruce)**

" #$%it," Bruce swore, quickly making his way back to the starting zone. He was moving faster than he had going to the well, and knowing Bruce, he had a pretty good reason. "Bernard's ahead of me. #$%it… how the #$% did _he_ get great at the game? He's a lazy ass who only cares about being a perv! And now, after getting a donkey, he's better at challenges than _I_ am?"

Bruce grumbled more as he quickly forged his way back the way he came. " #$%it! Bernard better not #$% beat me," Bruce muttered. "I can't lose to an #$% like him… if I do, I'm so #$% #$%."

"Then again," Bruce said, slowing down. "Maybe this is a good thing. Bernard could easily trick people into thinking I'm voting for myself. Since no one else knows this is true, it could _easily_ turn around making Bernard look like a #$%. Bernard gets votes and I'm safe. Not to mention I have that idol too, but I doubt I'll need it. Besides, it doesn't _guarantee_ my stay. Only gives me a fair shot of getting my time increased."

Bruce nodded to himself as he recognized the fork in the road with the crystals. "I take this path," Bruce said, pointing to the normal path. However, before starting on his way, he paused. "Perhaps I should try this way though," he said, turning to the crystal tunnel. "Maybe there's a faster way out." So, with hope in his heart, Bruce quickly started to run down the crystal hallway.

 **Confessional: Because when you make a bet, you don't have to take it seriously!**

 **Bruce: It's a risky move, but I'm sure I can pull it off! Bernard won't know what hit him when he comes out of the caves to see me standing out there holding a bucket of lava in his face!** (Bruce straightens himself.) **Not that this is a serious contest. I'm only doing it to prove that him trying to defy me isn't going to work. End of story.**

 **(Nora and Tristen)**

Nora and Tristen, out of respect for each other, remained silent as they made their way back to the start. Neither one said a thing as they crossed back over the chasm. However, once across, Tristen began to laugh. Curious, Nora turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Something funny?" she asked flatly.

"Yeah, actually," Tristen said. "Read me."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Read me. Tell me what I think is so funny," Tristen said to her. Nora did so, taking note of anything about Tristen she could use to make an assumption. When she came to her conclusion, she nodded.

"Angelina's on your mind, correct? She did something funny," Nora said, confident in her response.

"Nope," Tristen said. Nora stopped and spun to Tristen in shock. Tristen chuckled. "I'm joking," he said, making Nora relax. "I just wanted to see if that would work."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "What would work?" she asked. "Wait… are you… observing me?"

"In a sense," Tristen shrugged. "Every time you come up with something about someone else, you say it with absolute confidence, as if you don't remotely doubt it's wrong. However, when you _are_ wrong, or at least when you _think_ you're wrong, then you panic. Just something I've been meaning to try for a while."

"Why? Why try something so meaningless? I have nothing to hide," Nora said to him, her face lacking any emotion what-so-ever.

"Who's your father's name?"

"Redrick. I thought you knew this," Nora said.

"And see, right there is why I tried," Tristen said to her. "You've _never_ referred to Redrick as your father. Always your guardian, nothing more, nothing less. It's not my business to pry, but it got me thinking. I don't want to be wrong, so I decided to ask you that question so I can come up with my own theory to what is going on. I'm sorry if it's offensive to you, but you are kind of a mysterious person."

Nora subtly bit her lip. "Ever wonder… that I'm that way _for a reason_?" Nora said flatly. Nora slipped ahead of Tristen, cutting off any more talk of the subject. Tristen raised an eyebrow at this, but followed after her.

 **Confessional: I'm made of wood for a reason. I catch on fire!**

 **Tristen: Nora isn't revealing too much about herself. Normally I'd respect her privacy like I do with Angelina… but something's** _ **different**_ **about Nora. She says things… that a normal person wouldn't say. I'm not calling her weird… I'm calling her** _ **experienced**_ **. She's been through Hell… and I want to know why so I can get her out of it. I just don't know any of the details.** (Sighs.) **This is what I get for being so good. I'm a bit** _ **too**_ **good and I end up being nosy.**

 **Nora:** (She's visibly shaking.) **Tristen shouldn't go looking for things he doesn't want to find. Because when he finds them… he won't be the one punished for it.**

 **(Boomer and Kellie)**

Since they had made a short cut earlier, Boomer and Kellie were quickly jumping through the holes in the wall. They were making great progress by doing so, and for once, Kellie had a giant smile on her face. "This feels awesome!" she said, giggling. She covered her mouth as they ran, making Boomer raise an eyebrow.

"WHY'D YOU COVER YOUR MOUTH?! I LIKE YOUR GIGGLE!" Boomer said with a reassuring smile.

"I just… haven't ever _giggled_ before," Kellie said. She then stopped running and roughly grabbed Boomer's shoulders. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME #$%IT?!"

"NOTHING'S WRONG WITH YOU!" Boomer said gently and calmly. "YOU'RE JUST FEELING! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE EMOTIONS SHOW THROUGH!"

"B-b-b-but… I DON'T FEEL #$%IT!" Kellie screamed. "WHY AM I FEELING _NOW_?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE _FEELINGS?!_ "

Boomer was silent for a moment. "MAYBE… BECAUSE… YOU MADE A FRIEND?!" Boomer suggested. "JUST A THEORY THOUGH! DON'T HOLD ME ON IT!"

Kellie let go of Boomer. "Friend? Who would be a #$% idiot to be #$% friends with me?" Kellie muttered, going back to walking toward the starting point.

Boomer gave Kellie a smile. "I CAN ACT PRETTY STUPID SOMETIMES!" Boomer said with a chuckle. "AND ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT KIND OF COMES WITH STUPID! SO, WITH THAT SAID… I KIND OF THOUGHT I WAS YOUR FRIEND!"

Kellie didn't answer him for a moment. "Yeah, well… who needs friends dumbass? I don't need them. Look at me! I've gone through my whole life without friends…. BECAUSE WHO COULD EVER LIKE A #$% ANGER FREAK LIKE ME?!"

"I could," Boomer said.

Kellie stopped dead in her tracks. She slowly turned to look at Boomer, who was still smiling. "Did you just…?" she tried to ask.

"I can't hear a single word I'm saying," Boomer said, the words coming out a bit distorted. "But I thought maybe this will help you calm down."

Kellie stared at Boomer for several seconds, not saying a word. Finally, she said, "Speak so you can hear, dumbass," Kellie said, abruptly turning around. "You don't make me angry that way." Kellie quickly started to pick up the pace, not letting Boomer see a few tears trickling from her eyes.

 **Confessional: Feel, don't conceal!**

 **Kellie: WHAT THE #$% #$%?! I DON'T CRY #$%IT! I'VE NEVER CRIED IN MY #$% LIFE! SO HOW THE #$% DOES SOMEONE AS ANNOYING AND CHILDISH AS BOOMER GET ME TO #$% CRY?! WHAT THE #$%?!**

 **Boomer: SERIOUSLY, I COULDN'T HEAR A WORD I WAS SAYING! I MIGHT SEEM LIKE I WAS TALKING WELL, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I CAN STILL HEAR BY TALKING THIS LOUD! I WAS CONFIDENT IN WHAT I WAS SAYING BECAUSE I WAS USED TO IT!** (He stops to a moment.) **I WONDER WHAT KELLIE MEANT WHEN SHE SAID I DON'T MAKE HER ANGRY WHEN I TALK LOUDLY! IF THAT'S NOT THE REAOSN… THEN WHAT IS?!**

 **(Gracie)**

Gracie was currently backtracking through the crystal caves, humming to herself. There wasn't much else to do but get back to the start. As she was walking down the hallway, she was thinking aloud to herself.

"Maybe everything will turn out like planned this time," she said to herself. "Kellie is kind of a neutral party. Randall isn't close to her and neither is Boomer from what I can tell. So if we vote for Kellie, Roxanne can easily go next time."

Gracie sighed. "I'm not sure if this is the right thing… I know I've screwed up the last two eliminations. But… I have to go with what I feel is right. If Kellie is the right idea, I have to go with Kellie. No hard feelings… right?"

"I personally think it's a smart move," came a voice. Gracie yelped and spun on her heel. Bruce was walking up to her, a smile on his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Bruce said simply. "I took a different way back and I heard you talking, so I figured we could finish this challenge together."

Gracie thought this over. "I guess that's fair," Gracie shrugged. "Being alone _is_ lonely… so I guess a little bit of company isn't really a bad thing."

"I couldn't agree more," Bruce nodded and walked up so he could walk side by side with Gracie.

 **Confessional: No one's by my side…**

 **Gracie: I'm not quite sure about how I feel about Bruce. I mean… he** _ **did**_ **get me to vote off Tara… and I still regret that decision. I'm not quite sure how or why Bruce is playing this game, and it makes me kind of nervous since I have to talk to him now. But I guess there's a reason that he's with me, so I guess I should be thankful that he's with me to keep me company, even though I chose to be alone so I could be alone.**

 **(Randall and Roxanne)**

Randall had never felt more frustrated in his entire life. As he was walking down the caves, he constantly had to swing the bucket of lava out of the way as Roxanne tried to dive for it. She pouted, whined a little, then went a tried again. Randall took deep breaths, trying to keep himself from losing his temper.

It wasn't working very well.

"Roxanne, I'm not the most violent person in the world," Randall said calmly. "But I #$% swear… if you try to steal the lava again… I will kick your ass into the ground so hard that you would be _wishing_ you kill me before you knew me."

"I actually thought of a scenario where that happens!" Roxanne giggled, bouncing up so she was walking backward in front of Randall. "Want to hear it?"

"If it keeps you from ticking me off, be my guest," Randall grumbled.

Roxanne clapped her hands happily. "Yay! So, when I was a little girl, I got into murder. I think I was about five when I first saw someone kill someone else. In my alternate reality, instead of staying home, I followed the guy who killed someone else. He took me in and raised me! Then, he'd probably send me all over, murdering and killing people! In this reality Total Drama didn't really exist because reasons, so I never would have met you! Eventually, when we took over the world, I would have killed you! Isn't that fun?!"

"Sure it is," Randall said dismissively. Then he paused. "Wait… so you first got into murder when you saw someone else kill someone?"

"Yep!" Roxanne giggled. "I didn't follow him right away. I went home and thought about what I saw. I met him again about a week later when he killed someone else. I asked why he did it and if he could teach me. He gave me a few instructions and everything else was my own sense of style! I see him every year or so for a conference, but other than that, I'm mostly on my own with my killing."

"Interesting backstory," Randall nodded. "Never really would have thought that would happen in real life, but hey, you're still a great villain, even if you do annoy me way too much."

"Aw, come on Randall! I'm not that annoying!" Roxanne giggled. "I just want to tear your face off and eat it sometime in the near future!"

"And again, this conversation is over," Randall sighed.

 **Confessional: Geez, Randall is hard when it comes to conversation topics.**

 **Roxanne: I know a lot of people kind of just like me! I** _ **would**_ **have gone with the man if I could, but I kind of wanted to stay with my parents, at least until I had the nerve to kill them. Even after they died, I still just live in my house. Sentimental value and all of that.**

 **Randall:** (Looks in thought.) **Hmm… maybe Roxanne should be given some sort of challenge. A choice between killing two people. I wonder who she would kill if I gave her that kind of choice…**

 **(Angelina and Bernard)**

Bernard had decided that, since it'd be a while before getting back to the starting point, he would just sit back on Asszilla and take a nice nap. This left Angelina to her own devices, which was never really a good thing. She currently had a carrot and waving it in front of Asszilla's face.

"Who wants the carrot? Who wants the carrot?" Angelina said with a giggle. She then took a bite form the carrot and then threw the rest of the carrot to Asszilla, who promptly ate it. "We both do!" Angelina giggled again and then started bouncing forward.

Asszilla looked at Angelina for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, the donkey charged Angelina and promptly bit her. Angelina yelped, and looked behind her…

…to find Asszilla biting her ass. "I guess Asszilla was hungrier than I thought!" Angelina said. "Bernard? Bernaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!"

"Huh, wha? Five more minutes," Bernard said, tumbling off Asszilla's back as he turned. Bernard's eyes shot open and he stood up quickly. He noticed Angelina and laughed. "That's hilarious!" Bernard laughed. "Asszilla loves ass? Who knew he would be so much like me!"

"She," Angelina said.

"Huh?"

"Asszilla's a she. You didn't know that?"

"How did you know that?"

Awkward silence.

"Can you tell her to let go of my ass?" Angelina asked.

"Asszilla, let her go," Bernard said. The donkey reluctantly did just that, though it seemed to pout as it did so. "Good girl," Bernard nodded and mounted Asszilla again. "Onward! To beat Bruce!"

 **Confessional: Seriously, how did Angelina know Asszilla's gender?**

 **Bernard:** (Chuckles to himself.) **Asszilla's a girl who likes ass of girls? Not really that disturbing to be honest. We both have the same prob-I mean, same likes and dislikes.** (Shiftily looks side to side.) **I don't have problems!**

 **Angelina:** (Rubbing her butt.) **Ow! But hey, could have been worse! Like that one time I had to battle a raccoon for my can of soup! I came back with so many scratches, I think I passed out for… was it two or three days? Yeah, that raccoon… not fun.**

 **(Bruce and Gracie)**

Bruce and Gracie continued down the crystal hallway. Much to Gracie's relief, Bruce hadn't said much since the two had teamed up together. The silence continued this way until Bruce did start talking. "It seems like your team is falling apart from my end," Bruce said to her.

"Yeah… you could say that," she said, shifting a little. "But I'll take care of things my way. It might be hard, but things will go back to nice and normal soon."

"Good to hear," Bruce nodded. "I'll give you a suggestion too. Watching interactions on your team, I've noticed that Boomer doesn't do that much. It might be best if you go ahead and vote for…"

"Stop," Gracie said firmly, spinning on him. "I don't give #$% about your thoughts."

"Huh?" Bruce asked in surprise.

"You heard me fine," Gracie said. "I'll play this game _my_ way. Not yours. There are no _problems_ in my eyes, just people who are misunderstood or dangerous. Roxanne is _dangerous_. Boomer is misunderstood. You have _no_ right to judge people you don't even _know_ and tell _me_ to carry out what you _think_ is going on."

"Um, yeah, it's kind of my job to regulate problems," Bruce said. "If this game gets rid of it's problems, then the rest of the contest will be peaceful."

"Oh yeah? What _stops_ the problems?" Gracie asked him. "We eliminate all the problems. Then what? I'm too bossy? I'm too nice? Where do the problems _end_? These problems seem more like an excuse for you to use to make _yourself_ look better in comparison."

"Problems are real Gracie," Bruce said firmly. "I've seen it first-hand what problems can do and I know that it doesn't end well."

"Oh yeah? Ask yourself this then," Gracie said. "Do you think everyone else is a problem to avoid the fact that maybe, just maybe, _you're the_ problem itself?" Bruce was about to snap at her, but Gracie shook her head. "Don't bother Bruce. All your going is to say that I'm the problem now. Which, in turn, proves exactly my point." Gracie started to walk again, leaving Bruce to sputter over what he was just told.

 **Confessional: I'm the problem everyone hates but can't do anything about!**

 **Gracie:** (Sighs with a small smile on her face.) **That… felt surprisingly good. Who knew standing up for myself would be so awesome? I mean, yeah, I've done it before… but this was more satisfying for some reason. Maybe I stand a chance in this game after all.**

 **Bruce: Pfft,** _ **I'm**_ **the problem? Why would** _ **I**_ **be a problem? People do things that will otherwise get us into trouble if I don't make sure they stop!** _ **I'm**_ **not the issue here!** (Huffs a sigh.) **These people don't understand how valuable I am.**

 **(Nora and Tristen)**

"What's your family like?" Nora asked. Tristen and Nora were still walking down the cavern at their same pace, not speeding up or slowing down. Tristen raised an eyebrow at the question as they made their way forward.

"I'm the youngest of two," Tristen said. "I mentioned my brother earlier. I currently live with my mom and dad. My brother helps me out with a few things, like getting into places to work out and getting discounts. We're kind of a tight family. Why do you ask?"

Nora didn't answer for a moment. "Family is something I leave personal," Nora said simply. "I don't read off of family most of the time. Sometimes I can't help it… but I leave it normal for most other people. I've only really had to read into two people's family in this contest, but I left everything else private. It's why I asked."

Tristen thought this over for a moment. "What about you? Do you have any family?" Tristen asked.

"Redrick," Nora shrugged.

"Ah, right, your 'father'," Tristen said. "What about mom? Siblings?"

"Nope," Nora said simply. "Well… I have a little sister. Nothing worth mentioning."

"Does she have a name?"

"Lis."

"Anything special about her you love?"

"You're trying to read into me and I don't appreciate it," Nora said flatly. "It's kind of hypocritical of you to try and figure out my life when you leave everyone else alone."

"Sorry. I'm just generally interested," Tristen shrugged.

"In me and not Angelina?"

"Point," Tristen said. "Alright, I promise I'll stop pestering you. I'm sorry I've been a little forceful."

"Just don't go looking where you shouldn't," Nora said simply.

 **Confessional: You mean in the girl's bathroom?**

 **Nora: I have a sister and her name is Lis. That's all anyone needs to know.** (Pauses.) **I think Tristen is trying to get attached to me. I should try and cut myself away from him shortly. Attachment signifies weakness.**

 **Tristen: I was kind of pushing, wasn't I?** (Chuckles.) **I guess this just means I have to sit back and let nature take its course. Forcing people to do something they're uncomfortable with is like pushing myself too hard working out. Bad things can happen if the situation isn't handled right. I'll just sit back and let things progress naturally from here.**

 **(Boomer and Kellie)**

The loudmouth and the angry girl were both walking in silence. Kellie didn't dare try talking to Boomer and Boomer was a bit afraid of how Kellie would react if he talked. However, after waiting and thinking about something over for a while, Boomer decided to risk it.

"HOW DO I MAKE YOU MAD?!" Boomer asked.

Kellie stopped moving. "What makes you think you make me mad?" Kellie asked him.

"WELL, FOR ONE, EVERYTHING MAKES YOU MAD!" Boomer said matter-of-factly. "FOR ANOTHER, YOU SAID ME TALKING LOUD DOESN'T MAKE YOU MAD! IF THAT PART OF ME DOESN'T MAKE YOU MAD…. THEN WHAT ABOUT ME _DOES_?!"

Kellie didn't answer him right away. When she did speak, she said, "You don't tick me off exactly. This… _feeling_ I feel when I'm around you… I don't understand it. It's… frustrating… because… I don't know what it is. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO WITH IT!"

Boomer thought about her statement. "ACT ON IT!" he said to her. "YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT MUST BE STRONG, A PART OF YOU, RIGHT? IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT IT SAYS AND YOUR HEART TELLS YOU IT'S RIGHT… THEN DO IT!"

"But I don't… but I don't…" Kellie said, turning red in anger. "OH #$% IT ALREADY!" Kellie, out of nowhere, rushed Boomer. Before Boomer could defend himself, Kellie grabbed his head…

…and kissed him.

Boomer's eyes widened in shock as Kellie kissed him. When Kellie parted, her eyes were probably wider than Boomer's eyes were. "I… #$%!" Kellie screamed and ran ahead in the tunnel. Boomer didn't run after her right away. Instead, he watched her run off.

"SO… THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN FEELING!" Boomer said to himself.

 **Confessional: I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all this drama!**

 **Kellie: #$%! #$%! #$%! WHAT THE #$% HAVE I DONE?! I'M SUCH A #$% IDIOT! UGH!** (Smashes a hole into the confessional in rage.) **I'M SO STUPID! UGH!** (She charges out of the confessional, breaking the door as she left.)

 **Boomer:** (He's sitting in the confessional, noticing all the damage and destruction to it.) **YEAH, I THINK IT'S OK FOR ME TO ASSUME THAT KELLIE WAS HERE!**

 **(Bruce and Gracie)**

After walked a little bit from before, Bruce seemed to have calmed down. Gracie didn't dare try talking to him again, but she felt a relief that the tension had lifted.However, Gracie didn't have to do anything, as it was Bruce who spoke first.

"I wanted to apologize," Bruce grumbled. "You can play this game how you want. I want problems to be gone, and while I highly disagree with what you said about me… I should at least respect strategic boundaries."

Gracie smiled at him. "Thanks," she said. "Things have been rough for me on my end and things just don't seem to be looking up. I wouldn't be shocked if I got votes soon either, so having you off my case really helps."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Why would people be targeting you? I mean, yeah, you can be kind of annoying with words you say, but other than that, nothing major is wrong with you."

"Not sure if that was a compliment or an insult," Gracie said flatly. "I just haven't been voting for 'the right people' and it's kind of scary not knowing how things are going to end up. I just hope I don't get any votes… I'm not ready to be eliminated just yet."

Bruce thought about this for a moment. Reluctantly, Bruce reached into his pocket and withdrew the Fire Idol. He handed it over to Gracie, who looked at it in surprise. "Wait… you're giving it to… me? After what I said to you?" Gracie asked.

"While I'm still offended… you need it more than me," Bruce said. "No sides, meaning if you're being targeted, you need protection. I doubt I'm in trouble if I lose this challenge. You? You might need it."

Gracie looked at the idol and then, with a smile, took it. "Thanks Bruce," she said sweetly. "Maybe you still have good in you… deep down."

"Pfft, don't get any ideas," Bruce muttered. "I'm still offended by you. I just don't want to be a hypocrite and take a side against you, that's all."

 **Confessional: A hypocritical hypocrite? That's a new one.**

 **Gracie:** (Holds up the Fire Idol with a smile.) **This should help me if things get complicated. I'm glad Bruce gave this to me even though he didn't** _ **have**_ **to, but he did anyway. Like I said before, he can be nice sometimes when he wants to be.**

 **Bruce: I'm not a bad guy. I know Gracie was in a jam and, even though she insulted me, I felt she needed more protection than I do. It's not** _ **wrong**_ **of me to hate her but help her, so don't go judging me for it.**

 **(Randall and Roxanne)**

"Can I stab you with a stick until your dead?"

"No."

"Can I bash your stomach in with a rock?"

"No."

"Can I eat your particially digested food after I open your stomach?"

"I said no to the stomach question. What do you think the answer to this question is?"

"… Can I push you on a stalagmite?"

"No."

Randall and Roxanne were still in the cave, the former annoyed out of his mind while the latter was cheerfully giving death scenarios. Randall rubbing his brow with his free hand, growing frustrated. "Let this challenge end!" he cried.

Luckily for Randall, fate was in his favor. Randall and Roxanne soon exited the cave, finding they were the first ones out. "Aw! Well, nice talking to you Randall!" Roxanne said with a grin. "We should do this every challenge!"

"Let's not and say we did."

"That works too! I can't wait to tell you about the conversation we didn't have!"

"Kill me now…"

"Ok!"

"FIGURE OF SPEECH ROXANNE! FIGURE OF SPEECH!"

 **Confessional: Those dang figures of speech.**

 **Randall:** (Rubbing his head in an annoyed manner.) **OH MY #$% #$%! I've** _ **never**_ **been more annoyed in my #$% life!** (Takes a few deep breaths.) **I just have to be calm… I'm sure these hard feelings will go away by tomorrow. Geez… villains aren't all glory and praise. They can get on my nerves too…**

After a few more moments of waiting, Kellie emerged from the cave. Boomer came out a bit later, looking in thought while Kellie looked angry and spaced herself as far from Boomer as possible. Shortly following them were Angelina and Bernard.

"Is Bruce out here yet?!" Bernard asked desperately.

"Nope! In fact, you're the first one from your team back," Topher said, giving Bernard a subtle wink.

"Sweet!" Bernard said with a creepy smile. Shortly after Bernard, Angelina, and Asszilla situated themselves outside, Tristen and Nora exited the caves. They each nodded, waiting patiently for the final members of each team to emerge. When the did emerge, one person came out slightly before the other. And that person was…

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Gracie. The Valient Volcanos cheered, and Gracie sighed in relief. The Lying Lava groaned, especially Bruce, realizing he had lost to Bernard of all people, both in the challenge and in their bet.

"And the challenge is officially over!" Topher announced with a grin. "The Valiant Volcanos are immune tonight! Lying Lava, you'll be seeing Sammy at elimination. You have about an hour before the ceremony, so plan who you're voting for before tonight!"

"And go drop dead so my job is easier," Amy grumbled.

 **Confessional: Geez Amy, subtlety is not your strong suit.**

 **Boomer: WELL, WE WON! THAT'S GOOD FOR US SINCE IT KEEPS US FROM VOTING ANYONE OFF! AND AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CHALLENGE… I KIND OF NEED A LITTLE BREAK! BESIDES, WOULDN'T WANT ME OR KELLIE TO GO HOME BEFORE WE GET THIS RESOLVED!**

 **Bruce: #$%it, #$%it, #$%it! Not only did we lose, but now, I have to** _ **vote**_ **for myself! #$%it!** (Breaths deeply.) **But, being a man of my word, I'll follow through. I just have to hope some of the other votes will slip onto Bernard.**

 **Nora: We lost, as I so predicted. As for this vote… I can see two possible ways of how it'll go. Since it does not matter which way it goes as it does not directly affect me… something about this situation begs me to let someone else chose the outcome. Thus… I will.**

 **Gracie: Boomer seemed a bit distant after the challenge and Kellie looked more ticked off than normal. Did something happen in the caves I don't know about? If it did… yes! Maybe I can use this to get Kellie out so we don't have to worry about anything else!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Defeated, the Lying Lava went to their resting area to wait for the elimination ceremony to start. Bruce sat leaning against his rock, looking more defeated than the other members of his team. He glared as Bernard came up to him, riding on Asszilla.

"Feeling pressure?" Bernard chuckled.

"Don't rub it in," Bruce said flatly. "I'll vote for myself _only_ because you won fair and square. Just be _sure_ you vote for Tristen."

"Yeah, yeah," Bernard said, waving Bruce's comment aside. "Look, I was talking to Angelina during the challenge, and she said something peculiar. I'm not taking it personally, I just want to make sure you're forewarned."

"And what would that be Bernard?" Bruce grumbled.

"If I find out that you're trying to vote me out, my vote will go to you," Bernard warned. "Just as a fair warning Bruce. But since you _aren't_ trying to vote me out, you have nothing to worry about."

"Angelina's insane. Anything she says should be taken with a grain of salt," Bruce said flatly. "I'm not voting for you, alright?"

"Good to know," Bernard nodded, turning Asszilla around and having her go forward. "See you at elimination Bruce!"

 **Confessional: This is sneaky…**

 **Bruce: Ugh! It's as though** _ **everything**_ **is crashing down on top of me right now! Not only am I voting for myself, but Bernard doesn't trust me** _ **and**_ **I gave away the only chance of true safety I had to Gracie. Ugh… let's just** _ **hope**_ **someone's dumb enough to vote for Tristen or Bernard…**

 **Bernard: Bruce was** _ **obviously**_ **lying. I mean, come on! Angelina hasn't really done anything to make her** _ **untrustworthy**_ **. Therefore, she must be the truthful one. If Bruce told her to vote for me, then he's the one I should focus on.**

Nora was alone, sitting by herself with her eyes closed. She was thinking deeply to herself, mostly about what Tristen had said during the challenge. _Patience won't get me everywhere… but if I do something, someone will get hurt. He doesn't know this, but I do._

 _Tristen doesn't know anything. He keeps trying to help me… but he doesn't know what he's doing. I have to resist… and if that involves voting him off… I_ have _to. I don't have a choice if he keeps this up…_

 _No. I_ do _have a choice. But who do I want to hurt?_ Someone _isn't going to get out of this unscathed. No matter what I do in this contest,_ someone _is getting hurt. But… who do I hurt? Tristen? Or Lis? What kind of choice is that? My sister… or…_

… _my only true friend?_

 **Confessional: A true, true friend is a friend in me!**

 **Nora:** (Looks conflicted, almost in pain.) **My vote will be with be the tie vote. I'm leaving the true choice… up to someone who should make the decision. Depending on his vote… I will know what I must do.**

Angelina was skipping across the wasteland with a smile on her face. She quickly managed to find Tristen, who, as per the usual, went back to his pushups. Angelina smiled as she bounced up to him. "Hi Mr. Boss!" Angelina giggled.

"Oh, hey Angelina," Tristen chuckled. "It's been a while since we talked last, huh?"

"Yep! But hey, when those unicorns want to watch reruns, you can't interrupt them," Angelina said seriously. "So, being serious, what's down?"

"I think you mean what's up, but I get it," Tristen chuckled again, then sighed. "I wasn't really expecting to vote for someone tonight. I mean, Bruce _is_ an annoyance, and I don't really want to deal with him much longer. Who are you voting for?"

"Bernard! Bruce told me to!" Angelina giggled.

Tristen frowned. "And you're doing this because?" he asked her.

"Because he told me to!"

"I see. And since you've made up your mind, I can't change it, can I?"

"Nope!" Angelina giggled. "But… vote for who you want to vote! Feel it in your big, big brain! Whatever your brain decides, then that's who you vote! Yay for science!"

Tristen chuckled, rolling his eyes. "That didn't help me much… but I guess that was good for an Angelina answer. Thanks," Tristen said, going back to thinking about the vote.

 **Confessional: Thinky, thinky!**

 **Angelina: I'm not really one to make hard decisions. If someone tells me to go one way, I'll do it without hesitation! Too much work to worry about it! I rather just think about bunnies in swim shorts than worry about strategy!**

 **Tristen: So Angelina's voting for Bernard, but she wants me to choose. I guess I'll stick with the split second decision then and worry about it at the ceremony. I know it's risky, but I don't think I can think about this much more.**

 **(Eruption of Shame)**

The five contestants from the Lying Lava had walked to the elimination area and sat down on the stumps provided. Sammy walked up to the podium, biting her lip. "So… um…I guess you guys lost," Sammy said. "I guess I'll start with the questions. Bruce… how will this vote go?"

Bruce shrugged. "From what I've heard, it's more than likely going to be completely messy," Bruce said. "But I'll pull through. I doubt these guys are _complete_ morons.

Sammy nodded with a weak smile. "Let's h-h-h-h-hope you're right," Sammy said. "N-n-n-now… Angelina. Anything random you want to share?"

"I like flowers! I garden at night so that all my pretty flowers will grow big!" Angelina giggled. "Too bad they don't grow that big! Maybe the stars make them scared? Maybe?"

"I g-g-g-g-guess that makes sense," Sammy shrugged. "Bernard? Anything special you want to say to the group before they vote?"

"Sure," Bernard smirked. "Asszilla rules!"

"I g-g-g-guess that works," Sammy shrugged. "Go ahead and v-v-v-vote. Angelina, you're the first alphabetically, so probably you should go first."

"Yay!" Angelina giggled and jogged off to the confessional.

After voting, the five contestants sat back down. Sammy quickly went to tally the votes. When she came back, she held four slices of bacon. "Whoever gets a slice of bacon is safe," she said. "Whoever doesn't… has to take the Eruption of Shame and be out of the contest."

Sammy paused for a few moments. "F-f-f-f-first one safe is… Nora."

"Angelina."

"Tristen."

Bruce blinked in complete surprise while Bernard smirked in confidence. Sammy fidgeted in fear. "The person safe in the game and moving onto the n-n-n-n-next round is…

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Bruce," Sammy said, tossing him the last slice of bacon. Bruce sighed in relief, catching the piece of protein. Bernard looked somewhat stunned… but took a small breath and gave a smile.

"I guess being me didn't work out as well as I thought," Bernard said. "Come along Asszilla. We're out of the contest. We'll begin conquest elsewhere."

"Um… actually," Sammy said, rubbing her head. "Asszilla has to stay here. She's technically Total Drama property… so you'll have to pay for her _after_ the contest."

"But… but…" Bernard said, looking flustered.

"Don't worry, I'll p-p-p-p-personally watch after her," Sammy promised.

Bernard, still conflicted, sighed. He slipped off Asszilla and pet her muzzle. "I'll come back for you. Promise," Bernard promised. Asszilla neighed as Bernard walked up the Eruption of Shame and strapped himself in. Sammy gave Bernard a weak smile.

"You finish overall in tenth place," she said and stomped on it hard. She immediately jumped off and away from the volcano. Bernard screamed as he shot off, probably to the _U.S.S. Islander._ Sammy reluctantly smiled at the other contestants. "Even though his game was stronger than his will… Bernard still lost. You may go."

 **Confessional: I don't remember what I said earlier…**

 **Nora: What do I want to save? My sister… or my only friend? What kind of choice is that? I don't know how to feel…**

 **Tristen: Bernard seemed like the better target at the time. He's kind of a perv and I don't really trust him. Then again, compared to Bruce, he's done** _ **more**_ **. I just feel as though… Bernard doesn't** _ **need**_ **to learn anything else from this game. Bruce** _ **does**_ **. A dumb reason, yeah… but at least I have a reason.**

 **Bruce: …I was almost voted off… for the third time… what are the other's seeing… that I'm not?**

 **(Outro)**

Topher smiled at the cameras. "So, after a weird challenge and some weird feelings, Bernard went home tonight," Topher said. "What will happen without Bernard's problems? Can Bruce redeem himself? Will Kellie work things out? What's on Nora's mind? What will the challenge be? And who will be voted off next? Find out on Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **Voting Confessional: Feelings…**

 **Angelina:** (She's bouncing around like a crazy person with a huge smile on her face.) **Fun! Fun! Fun! Oh, and I vote for Bernard! Because fun!** (Giggles.) **FUN!**

 **Bernard: With all my cards in place, this elimination should end the way I intend for it to. Bruce gets in the way of not only world domination, but my asses as well! So, with that said, I vote for Bruce.**

 **Bruce: Ugh… don't make a bet you think you'll win. Why? Because fate will come and kick you in the butt for past decisions that don't even directly affect the game. So, with my great reluctance, I vote for myself.**

 **Nora: Choices… I could chose to act differently… but it's not only my choices that effect the game… I need to allow the choices of others effect mine. I vote for Bernard.**

 **Tristen: Hmm… you know, Bernard's not a** _ **bad**_ **person, but let's be honest here. He breaks personal space and moral values more than Bruce does. And, again, let's be honest. Bruce hasn't really done anything** _ **uncomfortable**_ **. Sure, he's annoying and a massive hypocrite, but Bernard makes me feel more uncomfortable than Bruce does, despite me being a guy and not Bernard's focus. So, without any baggage on my conscious, I vote for Bernard.**

Teams

Lying Lava: Angelina, Bruce, Nora, Tristen

Valiant Volcanos: Boomer, Gracie, Kellie, Randall, Roxanne

Eliminated: Jackal (L), Tara (V), Sherry (L), Jeremy (V), Bernard (L)

 **BN: This isn't at the top for personal reasons. The end of this chapter has been changed. I'm letting something personal enter my writing, and it's really getting to me as a person. For those of you wondering what, PM me or find me on DeviantArt and I'll let you know what's up. My DA name is The Nameless Ben. Sorry I'm telling you this, but it's something I should let you know in case you notice a noticeable change in what I write.**

 **ELIMINATION: BERNARD**

 **The deal with Bernard is that he was a perv. Thing was… he was a** _ **stereo-typical**_ **perv. You might be like, 'Yeah, Ben, we know that. What's so significant about Bernard being a stereo-typed perv?' Bernard actually had a lot of short term plot that you might be shocked to realize. Such things include:**

 **-a sort of universe punching bag. Believe it or not, a lot of afflictions were drawn to Bernard** _ **for a reason**_ **. Without Bernard to be there as the universe's punching bag, some of the other characters have to deal with it.**

 **-indirectly setting Bruce down his path for the rest of his stay in the contest.**

 **-being a perv and not strategy ready…. But** _ **still**_ **being in the majority** _ **every single time**_ **. I feel as though that some more strategic people, like Jeremy, should have been in the majority every single time. However, Bernard was** _ **not**_ **strategic, but he still got more people out than Jeremy did, which was something not a lot of pervs** _ **do**_ **in these kinds of games.**

 **-Asszilla. I feel as though bringing Bernard away from asses by focusing on something he should be attached to made his character shine a bit brighter. Also… I separated Bernard and Asszilla for a reason.**

 **I'll be flat out honest. Bernard was probably my second favorite character in this cast so far. He was fun, pervy, and still placed at a decent ranking. So, whether Bernard was hilarious or annoying, Bernard finishes in tenth place.**

 **Next Time:** Drama happens on both teams. Some stuff goes down between a certain duo and Nora struggles with her conscience. The challenge so happens to be climbing… chimneys? And from the looks of them… someone's starting a fire.


	13. E6 P1: Fires of Emotions

**Disclaimer: I only own the 14 OCs that appear in this fic and Quiltal. Everything else is probs not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: Hey guys! So, before I get into it, I just want to dedicate this chapter to Kyle. He's a dear friend of mine on DA and he's the guy who reinspired me to write again. I couldn't have gotten this far without him, and I hope as he reads this, he knows that he is a member of my online family. I love ya dude. You really are like a long lost brother to me. :) Now, I hope you guys enjoy the next chapter of Fire Island!**

Up the Chimney, In the Fire

E6 P1: Fires of Emotions

It was dark in the ring of islands that were in the middle of an unspecified ocean. The sun had set a long time ago and there was no light whatsoever… except for that on one of the nine islands in the ring. On this island was fires and lava, lightning up the otherwise dark sky. Standing on this island being recorded was a young man, who was smiling as big as he could.

"Welcome back to Total Drama Fire Island," Topher said to the camera, retaining his smile to the best of his ability. "Last time, we experienced some drama on both teams, drama you guys shouldn't have dared to miss! But, as my contract states, I have to recap anyway just in case some of you missed the previous episode."

"As the teams were equal, they both seemed to have equal amounts of drama. The Lying Lava seemed to have a level of distrust amoungst their ranks. Bernard realized that Bruce was no ally of his and Angelina was torn between following her word she gave to Bruce and helping Bernard. Meanwhile, Nora had an awful nightmare while Tristen tried to figure out why Nora is the way she is."

"On the other side of things on the Valiant Volcanoes," Topher continued, "Randall seemed to be getting more and more irritated with Roxanne. However, he also seemed conflicted as Gracie seemed to up her game, practically forcing him to promise to vote for Kellie the next time they lost. Also, Kellie seemed awkward around Boomer, who simply tried to make things less awkward, which led to more awkward moments."

"The challenge was a simple cave run. Both teams split off into groups of two, or in Gracie's and Bruce's case, walked alone to find a well with lava and bring back a bucket of it. Tristen pestered Nora into explaining herself while Boomer and Kellie seemed to bond. In fact, Boomer and Kellie bonded so much… Kellie kissed Boomer, right on the spot! She immediately ran away after she did so… but that drama is sure to come up during this episode!"

By the end of the challenge, it was the Lying Lava who lost the challenge. Bernard tried rallying the troops to finally end Bruce. Heck, Bernard even forced Bruce into a bet, which Bruce lost, so that Bruce would have to vote for himself. However, much to the misfortune of Bernard, the other contestants all voted him off, Angelina because of her promise to Bruce, Nora because of her own reasons, and Tristen because he felt it was right. Bernard took the Eruption of Shame and Asszilla, Bernard's noble pet, was forced to remain on the island until further notice."

"What will happen this time?" Topher concluded. "What drama will be sparked by the most recent elimination? Can Tristen figure out what's wrong with Nora? Will Bruce change for the better? Will Boomer be able to figure out Kellie's emotions without ticking her off? Who will be voted out next? And can Roxanne stoop to creepier levels of freaking me out?"

"Yep!" Roxanne giggled behind Topher, holding up a knife menacingly.

"Find out today on Total Drama Fire Island!" Topher said quickly and then began to scream as he ran away from Roxanne, who giggled as she ran after him, waving her knife evilly side to side.

(Theme Song; I wanna be famous)

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer was up in his room, sitting on the bed and thinking to himself. Since Jeremy was gone, Boomer had aligned the two beds so they sat next to each other. Boomer was thinking quietly to himself when Gracie popped her head in, smiling. Boomer smiled back as Gracie walked over and kneeled next to the bed.

"What are you thinking about?" Gracie asked him with knowing eyes.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I'M THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING?" Boomer asked. "I MEAN, YEAH, I'M THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING BECAUSE TO BE ALIVE I HAVE TO THINK, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I MEANT!"

"I know," Gracie giggled. "I was just wondering what was on your mind, that's all."

Boomer was quiet for a few moments. "KELLIE KISSED ME IN THE CHALLENGE EARLIER!" Boomer finally said. Gracie gave out a giggle, but stopped when Boomer sighed. "SHE'S BEEN MAKING GOOD PROGRESS AS MY FRIEND, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!"

"Well, what's she been talking about recently?" Gracie asked. "Was there anything that might have given you the hint that she liked you?"

"NO! WELL, SHE _HAS_ BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FEELING SHE… DIDN'T… UNDERSTAND… OH!" Boomer said facepalming. "I'M KIND OF A THICK PERSON NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT! SHE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING A CRUSH ON ME THIS WHOLE TIME!"

Gracie rolled her eyes again with a smile. "Boys," she said. "They never understand us, do they? Boomer, I think she was just trying to show you how she felt because she's always angry and can't tell you the normal way. I think you should tell her how you feel too… so you can let her down easy, you know?"

"YOU'RE RIGHT!" Boomer said, giving Gracie a smile. "THANKS FOR TALKING TO ME ABOUT THIS! WE STILL ON FOR VOTING OFF ROXANNE NEXT TIME WE LOSE? KNOWING OUR PATTERN, IT'LL PROBABLY BE TOMORROW!"

"Oh, um… sure, that's the plan," Gracie giggled nervously. "Oh, look at the time! Time to sleep! Need that strength for the challenge tomorrow, right? Night Boomer!"

Gracie speedily left the room, making Boomer chuckle to himself. As she left, Boomer sat back, thinking to himself for a few moments. "KELLIE HAS A CRUSH ON ME!" Boomer said. "SO THAT ONLY LEAVES ONE BURNING QUESTION! HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT KELLIE?!"

 **Confessional: In many, many,** _ **many**_ **AUs of this fic, she tears me to pieces. So I don't like her very much.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks conflicted and worried.) **Well crap! I told Randall to vote for Kellie when we lose… but now Boomer's made friends with her and still wants to take out Roxanne! Crap, crap, crap! I don't want to betray either one… but if we lose,** _ **someone**_ **has to go home! When did all of this get so complicated? I just wanted to play friendly and be a good friend to everyone, not be tormented by who to vote off…**

 **Boomer: LOTS OF THINGS SEEM TO BE HAPPENING NOW! MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THE HALF WAY POINT IS GETTING SUPER CLOSE AND TENSIONS ARE SHOOTING UPWARD! AND OH, HERE I AM, STRUGGLING WITH GIRL DRAMA!** (Chuckles.) **I FIND IT KIND OF FUNNY THAT I'M HAVING GIRL PROBLEMS! EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING PROBLEMS STRATEGICALLY AND BOOM, BOOMER HAS TO DEAL WITH A GIRL!** (Laughs, then sighs.) **IF KELLIE HEARD THIS SHE'D PROBABLY BE TICKED AT ME RIGHT NOW, WOULDN'T SHE?!**

Randall was resting outside the Fire House, his hands behind his head. He was leaning against his rock like he normally did and was gazing up at the stars. Randall was grumbling to himself incoherently, looking slightly annoyed and conflicted as he did so.

"I don't #$% know what I'm going to do," Randall grumbled. "Gracie _was_ a #$% pushover and now she's pretty much _running_ things. Not that I hate it, developing villains turns me on, but the fact she's rising to power makes her _dangerous_ to Roxanne. I need to come up with a plan… ugh, why do _I_ have to be the mastermind?"

Randall grumbled to himself a bit more and started to rub his head to produce an idea. "I need Gracie to realize that she and Roxanne are on the same side," Randall grumbled. "Villains sometimes team up with each other, right? All that I truly need to do is make Roxanne and Gracie friends. That way, they won't vote each other off."

"Then again, Roxanne _would_ try to kill Gracie," Randall commented. "She tries to kill everyone, even me, her only real 'friend'. Roxanne's villainous schemes are amusing… but when they involve my death, it starts getting a bit too risky. I'll have to play things as they go… ugh, I hate waiting for the villainous schemes to fall into place…"

 **Confessional: The author hates circles, but you don't see him complaining.**

 **Randall: The position I'm in is #% #$%, and I apologize to the kids who had to hear that, but I don't really care because people swear every day. Gracie thinks she has things under control and Roxanne is the main villain. I want to keep both, but Gracie might go too staking mad with power. I can't let her get it in her head that Roxanne is a threat… ugh, I hate my life right now. It doesn't help that I keep hearing Roxanne's death threats ringing in my ears.** (Shivers.) **She can be pretty #$% scary if she wants to.**

In the bottom floor of the Fire House, Kellie was standing next to her bed. Why was she standing next to her bed rather than trying to sleep in it? Because she was angrily bashing her head against the wall, yelling at herself with fury.

"YOU #$% RETARD!" Kellie screamed, bashing her head against the wall so much it was red. "YOU #$% #$% IT UP! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE SO #$% CONFUSED RIGHT NOW! ABOUT BOOMER! ABOUT THIS FEELING! AND ABOUT EVERYTHING #$%IT! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Kellie slammed her face against the wall so hard, the wall cracked. Kellie took a few deep breaths and fell to her knees.

"Why can't a just be a normal girl?" Kellie grumbled. "I don't want to feel this way... I don't want to be confused… I just want… to know what I should feel right now…"

"I feel murder!"

" #$%!" Kellie screamed in anger, jumping to her feet and spinning around. Roxanne was innocently standing at the doorway to her room, smiling over at Kellie with a big grin. "Mind your own #$% business, YOU PIECE OF #$%!"

"Can one drown in poop?" Roxanne asked her. "That'd be a nasty way to go, but something I _have_ to try when I get home! Do you want to be the one who dies that way? I can kill you that way if you want me to! I _do_ take requests if people amuse me with their begging and screaming!"

Kellie was about to scream, but instead gave out a sigh. She took a few deep breaths and then glared at Roxanne. "Go #$% yourself and leave me the #$% alone. I don't have #$% time for you…" Kellie muttered, flopping onto her bed. " #$%!" she yelled, muffling it into the pillow.

Roxanne cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong? Contemplating suicide? Not my favorite type of death. It's really sad that someone would throw they're life away instead of letting me kill them. What's got your colon in a twist?"

Kellie sighed, controlling her anger… and pretty much failing at it. "I've done #$% up and now my life #$% sucks! YOU DON'T HELP #$%IT! GET THE #$% OUT OF MY FACE!"

Roxanne cocked her head curiously and thought this over for a moment. Then she giggled, rolling her eyes. "Oh! I get it!" Roxanne giggled. "You feel bad for not letting me remove your eyes with spoons!"

Kellie's eye twitched, unable to hold back her full wrath. "I #$% KISSED BOOMER AND NOW HE #$% HATES ME! NOW GET THE #$% OUT OF HERE!"

"Oh," Roxanne said simply. Kellie expected her to say something more, but much to her surprise, Roxanne said nothing. Kellie looked up slightly to find Roxanne was rubbing one of her arms nervously. "Sorry… but… um… I'm not good with romantic situations."

"No #$%. You probably killed all your #$% lovers," Kellie muttered.

"Yep!" Roxanne giggled, making Kellie seethe with even more anger. Then Roxanne deflated. "But… while I know they are close to my heart… I still miss them… hey Kellie? If I killed Boomer, would you miss him?"

Kellie blinked at the question. Knowing Roxanne, she probably asked it as a vague question, since she was going to kill Boomer anyway. Still… "Yeah. I'd miss him," Kellie grumbled. "Much to my reluctance… I still care about him… AND IT TICKS ME OFF!"

Roxanne nodded and sighed. "I wish I wasn't human sometimes," Roxanne said. "Killing random strangers is easy for me… but… it's hard when it's someone close to me. There's that tiny part of me that knows that I'll remain incomplete without the person I kill." Roxanne shook her head, plastering a smile on her face. "Night Kellie! Hope you die of over sleep!"

Roxanne skipped off to her hidden room, giggling to herself as she went. Kellie scowled the whole way… but had something to think about. _Incomplete… Boomer might hate me… and I have no #$% idea how to express myself to him… but… #$%it. How come this #$% idea had to come from Roxanne? UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

 **Confessional: Look at that, she gets ticked off in her own thoughts.**

 **Kellie:** (Not surprisingly, she looks ticked off.) **WHY THE #$% DOES SHE HAVE TO BE HERE?! WHEN SHE'S ANNOYING, I WANT TO BEAT THE #$% OUT OF HER! WHEN SHE'S DEEP, I STILL WANT TO BEAT THE #$% OUT OF HER! WHY DOES SHE MAKE ME SO #$% ANGERY?! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggling.) **I heard Kellie in hear right before I came in! Is she a pirate now? Pirates are great at torture! The Bloody Eagle was always my favorite torture device when I was little! I used that one on a classmate of mine! She lasted a long time too!** (Giggles to herself for so long, the rest of the confessional has been cut.)

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina was awake, sitting next to a burnt tree. She was smiling to herself, looking up at the sky. She giggled a few times, just bobbing her head from side to side. "This is nice," Angelina said. "No silliness… no random… just relaxing and taking in the scenery. I love being random, but it's nice to cool off and calm down."

Angelina giggled again. "Boy, I'm super silly for being so serious!" she laughed. "I guess being silly all the time _does_ make me happy! I mean, this is the happiest I've been all year, so this silly thing must be working!"

"Still… what am I going to say when I get home?" Angelina pondered, looking serious again. "Hi mom and dad, I totally disobeyed you guys and went on a TV show because I hate living anywhere near you? Yeah… sure, that works! Or… I could just them the squirrels made me do it! Let's go with that! That one would make them so mad they'd blast off to Jupiter!"

Angelina giggled to herself and then laid her head on the ground. "I wonder if I can count the stars," she mused to herself. "One, two, three… zzzzz…."

Angelina had drifted off to sleep, lightly snoring. Not that far from her stood someone behind a different tree, listening to the whole conversation. He walked over and sat down next to her, sighing to himself. "What the heck do you go through?" Tristen grumbled.

 **Confessional: I go through worrying every day that I might catch on fire.**

 **Tristen: Nora mentioned Angelina's life isn't all it appears to be. After some of the things Angelina said to herself… I'm starting to believe it. But…** _ **what**_ **? From what both Nora and Angelina have said, I bet it has to do with her family, namely her parents. But it's hard to figure out anything when I don't really** _ **know**_ **anything. Not to mention I also have Nora to worry about, who gives me even** _ **less**_ **to go off of.** (Sighs.) **I'm overthinking this, aren't I? I just need to slow down and take a step back, that's all. Angelina will talk to me if she feels like she needs to, same with Nora. No good in worrying when I don't need to worry, right?**

" _Come on Bruce! Do it! You know you want to!"_

" _Come on Bruce. Don't do it. I'm scared…"_

" _DO IT!"_

" _Please don't…"_

" _DO IT!"_

" _Bruce…"_

"MORGAN!" Bruce screamed, his eyes flashing open. Bruce took some deep breaths, sighing as he realized it was a dream. He leaned against his rock, taking a few calming breaths, closing his eyes in shame. "Another #$% dream…" Bruce grumbled. "That makes fourteen this month… ugh… why was I so #$% _stupid_?!"

Bruce banged his head against the rock, his eyes getting wet. "I came here to avenge you," Bruce said. "To right the wrongs I made. But… if it's true what the others are saying… then I'm not avenging you at all. All I'm doing… is making myself look like a pitiful fool."

"Who was I kidding? I can't win this thing Morgan. I wanted there to be no sides… no arguments… but I _caused_ them. All I'm doing is repeating the past. I'm no better here than I was back home. I wish… I wish I was where you were. At least… you deserve to be here. Me? I just turn things into #$%…"

Bruce gave out a final sigh. "I won't stop trying though," he said. "I might be the target… and I might still be misguided… but I want to see your smile again. I don't care if you don't love me anymore. I just… want to hold my baby sister in my arms again. And if the money will help you wake up… then I'll get it. Even if I have to cause some tensions… only for you."

 **Confessional: Establishing that not all love is romantic love.**

 **Bruce: From where we stand, Angelina and Tristen are in an alliance. I managed to get Angelina to falter, even if it didn't work in my favor, but I doubt I can do it again. This leaves the only possible person to ally with Nora… but she and I do not see eye to eye. Hmmm… perhaps instead of looking at Angelina and Tristen as threats… I should see** _ **them**_ **as the true allies and get rid of Nora. I might be in a tight spot, but I know how to squirm my way through, despite which side is dominant.** (Sighs.) **I hate choosing sides… but I have no choice.**

In a field, alone, Nora was resting sound asleep. Well, resting isn't the correct word. Nora had a scared look on her face and she tossed and turned in her sleep. She looked pale and was breathing heavily and fearfully as she violently shook side to side.

 _Nora was in a dark room, alone. Nora didn't know where she was… but she did. She didn't know how to describe it, but she had this feeling hanging over her. Something familiar. Something… dreadful. Nora fearfully looked around the room, desperately trying to find something to observe._

" _You're not looking hard enough," echoed Redrick's voice, making Nora twitch. "Do you value your sister's innocence? Or is it insignificant to you?"_

" _I'm trying!" Nora said, her voice uncharacteristically full of fear. "There's nothing in here! I can't read anything!"_

" _Hmph. You are a foolish child." Nora screamed as she felt her body shoved to the floor. Nora didn't have to look back to know it was Redrick behind her. "Do I need to make you_ suffer _until you see it? Do I need to make you_ scream _? You know I'll do it."_

" _I can't see anything! Please, don't!" Nora pleaded._

" _You can't see the obvious," Redrick sighed, grabbing Nora's skirt. "Fine. We'll see if you can notice anything after I torture you for a while. Then, if you continue to fail me… I'll do the same to your sister._ In front of you _. And you can't do a thing about it."_

 _RIP!_

Nora's eyes flashed open, tears forming in her eyes. She took several shaky breaths, her body shaking in terror. She closed her eyes and silently cried for a moment, letting herself have a moment of weakness. "You can defile me… but I won't let you hurt her…" Nora mumbled.

 **Confessional: I can't hurt! Well, unless I'm ripped apart, that hurts a bit.**

 **Nora:** (Her face is expressionless.) **Tristen has been trying to get close to me. I cannot allow him to get close to me. He** _ **must**_ **go next, no matter what. Even if I must ally myself with Bruce… but considering Tristen thinks he's on my side, if there's a tie, it'll be between Bruce and Tristen. If I observe what's yet to come, in no way can Tristen dare get close to me.**

 **(Amy and Sammy's Trailer)**

"Wake up lazy #$%," Amy grumbled. Sammy groaned, rubbing her head as she woke up. Amy had disrupted another near perfect dream. Sammy sighed as she got up, looking over at Amy, who was angrily scowling at her. "Honestly, I've never seen someone as #$% useless as you before."

"W-w-w-w-well…"

"Shut up. I don't want to #$% listen to you," Amy grumbled. Before Amy could insult her sister any further, there was a knock on their door. Amy muttered some obscenities to herself and wandered over to the door. She opened it to find Topher standing there with a smirk on his face. "What the #$% do you want?" Amy muttered.

"Chris stopped by _my_ trailer for once," Topher chuckled. "Figured I'd ruin your morning instead of the other way around."

"Ha ha," Amy grumbled humorlessly. "Alright, where are we going to be tortured _this_ time? Ugh, I hope it's not another food challenge. I hated the Grill Pit…"

Topher smirked and handed Amy the file. He noticed Sammy in the back of the trailer and waved to her. Sammy blushed and waved back, slipping into the trailer's bathroom. Amy noticed the exchange of hand signals and scowled, turning on Topher.

"Stay the #$% away from my sister. She's _my_ slave, not a girl you can use for your own #$% pleasure. She's _mine_ so _butt out_!" Amy snarled.

"Let's see… listen to you or do whatever I want… I chose doing whatever I want, thanks," Topher smirked. "She's not _yours_ Amy. Get that through your thick skull."

Amy scowled. "Shut up. In real life, things don't always work out for the hero," Amy snarled. "You delivered the information. Get out of here."

"Fine. Oh, and bring some of that bacon Chris gave us," Topher winked and left the trailer. Amy grumbled something under her breath and shut the door, grabbing the file and looking it over. As she did so, Sammy was peeking out of the bathroom, blushing a little.

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Boomer had woken up that morning and decided to get the awkward part over with. He quickly got himself ready and wandered down to the main room. However, when he got there, he didn't see Kellie anywhere. He let out a big sigh and was about to leave when he noticed Roxanne appear from her room, giggling to herself.

"Dead animals always gave me that buzz when I set them on fire!" Roxanne giggled to herself. She looked up and saw Boomer standing in the room, making her giggle even more. "Aw, love is so cute! Especially when I just killed a raccoon form the inside out!"

Boomer blinked in surprise at the statement. "LOVE?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! I JUST CAME DOWN HERE TO TALK TO KELLIE! DO YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS?!"

"Nope!" Roxanne giggled. "Maybe tearing her heart out? Not as fun as it sounds actually. Making people bleed out of their empty eye sockets is so much more entertaining!"

"ER… OK!" Boomer said awkwardly and started to walk toward the door. However, before he got there, he paused. "HEY… WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THE LOVE STUFF?! JUST WONDERING AND ALL!"

Roxanne let out a creepy giggle, twirling her foot sneakily. "Oh, nothing deadly!" Roxanne giggled. "Kellie talked to me last night about her weird feeling! She'd miss you if I killed you. So… I'll kill her first! Do you think she'd gag on a goldfish if I stuffed it down her throat? Two deaths in one go! Yay!"

Boomer flinched at the answer… but nonetheless seemed curious. "SO SHE REALLY DOES HAVE FEELINGS FOR ME!" Boomer said. "I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS JUST CONFUSED… BUT I THINK SHE REALLY WOULD MISS ME IF YOU… WELL, KILLED ME! GREAT, NOW I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO HER!"

"Well, when you see her, ask her if I can scoop her brains out with an ice cream scoop!" Roxanne giggled. "I hear human brains is great during the summer!"

"I'LL, UH… TRY TO MENTION IT IN OUR NEXT CONVERSATION! SEE YOU ROXANNE… OR NOT! I'M REALLY GOOD WITH EITHER ONE!" Boomer said, walking out of the house, off to look for Kellie.

 **Confessional: At Boomer's honest about how he feels.**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggles, rolling her eyes.) **I'm not really the romantic type, unless it's BDSM and death like, but I will say I find Boomer and Kellie cute! I wish them a happy death together! Maybe I won't be a jerk with their death and let them die together! I know what it's like to miss someone… so I won't be cruel! Maybe I can drown them together! That's a pretty romantic death, right?**

 **Boomer: I'M NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT ROXANNE! SHE'S A MURDERER AND I DON'T THINK SHE'D HESITATE TO KILL ANY OF US IF SHE COULD, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT HER TOO! I WONDER WHAT SHE'S REALLY LIKE INSIDE HER HEAD!** (Shakes it off.) **I'D LOVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS LATER, BUT I HAVE A DIFFERENT GIRL TO FIND!**

Gracie yawned as she stretched herself awake, smiling as she did so. "It's been a while since I had a good night sleep," Gracie giggled. "Must have been the fact we didn't have to vote anyone out last night. No one to add to my conscious to make me feel guilty."

Gracie let out a sigh, slipping out of the bed. "Tara, then Jeremy… two people I thought I could help me happy in this contest," she said. "But both of them are gone… and it's my fault. I voted them off… and now I have a chance to right my wrongs."

"But… I didn't think Boomer would actually make friends with _Kellie_. I knew he was friendly… but if those two are good friends, then he might be mad at me if I help Randall vote her off. But if I don't vote off someone other than Roxanne, Randall might get mad…"

Gracie sighed again, standing up at the foot of her bed. "Maybe… no, there's isn't really a way around this one, is there?" Gracie sighed. "I either betray Boomer or I betray Randall. I either lose a friend… or I lose Randall. I know this shouldn't be a hard choice… but I'm still held up over it."

Gracie shook her head. "I shouldn't worry about it," she said, heading for the door. "If we try our best, we'll probably win the challenge today. We won't have to worry about elimination and I won't have a guilty conscience. I don't think I'll be allowed to sit out today, so I better try hard enough so that at least I look like an asset to the team."

 **Confessional: Let the author know if he sticks to personal dialogue a bit too much.**

 **Gracie: The reason I'm so hung up between Boomer and Randall is that they both have something I want or need. Boomer wants to be my friend, and I truly want to have his friendship by my side. Randall on the other hand can strategize his way through most conflicts, which is something I need. If I vote Roxanne, I lose most opportunities of strategy I could have with Randall. On the other hand, if I vote Kellie, I lose Boomer's trust and faith he has in me.** (Sighs and shakes her head sadly.) **I have to give one thing up… but what do I chose to lose?**

Kellie was outside of the house, walking around looking a mixture of angry and misrible. She grumbled to herself and picked up a rock, tossing it to who knows where. (Probably wherever Bernard was.) Kellie seemed to be trying to talk herself down… and it wasn't working all too well.

"WHAT THE #$% IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Kellie snarled at herself. "ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU'RE A #$% FOR THINKING THAT BOOMER WOULD _EVER_ FALL FOR YOU! OH YEAH? WELL GUESS WHAT ME? HE WOULDN'T FALL FOR YOU EITHER!"

Kellie screamed in rage and began punching her fists together. She did this for a few minutes, trying to beat herself up. Finally, she realized what she was doing. "Wow. I'm #$% stupid," Kellie grumbled, dropping her fists to her side. "Who am I kidding anyway? Angry or not… Boomer would never like someone who can only feel hate and rage."

"If Roxanne swung your way, she might like it," Randall said, sitting in his normal spot as Kellie approached. "But I don't think she does. I at first thought she was asexual until yesterday, but I guess that's not really my business."

Kellie snarled angrily at Randall. "Little sneaky #$%," she said. "I never liked you. SO LEAVE ME THE #$% ALONE!"

Randall raised a curious eyebrow. "I know you're angry at everyone and probably hate me more because I annoy you on purpose… but you seem to have a lot more unconcentrated anger than normal. Why?"

Kellie sneered at Randall, who mocked innocence on his face. "If I was going to confide myself in someone, YOU'D BE THE LAST #$% PERSON ON EARTH!" Kellie yelled in his face. " #$% OFF YOU SNEAKY #$%!"

"Fine, your call," Randall shrugged. Kellie stormed off, probably to go yell at herself some more. Once she was out of sight, Randall frowned. "Maybe Gracie was onto something after all," he muttered to himself. "Kellie's anger is like a ticking time bomb… for _me_. The longer she stays, the angrier she gets at people who tick her off. And since I seem to trigger her more than the others… only a matter of time before she puts that anger to 'good use'. Good job Gracie. Even as a novice villain, you impress me."

 **Confessional: If only Randall knew…**

 **Kellie:** (Glaring at the confessional.) **You think I'm going to tell** _ **Randall**_ **, the boy who is most definitely up to something, all my feelings? Well #$% YOU! There's only one feeling I #$% understand fully, and I'm going to make sure Randall feels MY WHOLE #$% WRATH! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

 **Randall:** (Looks somewhat annoyed.) **I heard Kellie scream right before I came in. What, does she think she's a pirate now? That's the last thing I need right now…** (Composes himself.) **As for elimination, someone has to sit out today, and it can't be me or Gracie. Knowing the pattern of our defeat, we'll more than likely lose tonight. So, I'll try to make it so Boomer sits out. Roxanne's good at challenges and if Kellie attracts negative attention to herself, all the more reason to vote her ass off.** (Chuckles.) **If I wasn't such a follower, I'd make a pretty good villain, if I do say myself.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Angelina yawned, pushing out her arms as far as she could. She gave a small sigh before she plastered a smile to her face. "Another day, another lie," Angelina said to herself. "Welp, let's make today fun for everyone! Maybe an Australian theme this time!"

"Oh, so we're doing themes now," came a voice. Angelina froze and slowly turned to see Tristen doing push-ups not that far away from her. Tristen looked at Angelina carefully, a small smile on his face. "You're a great person Angelina. Why do you act so crazy when that's not really you?"

"Of course it's me!" Angelina said, exaggerating her smile. "Eels! Octopi! Cuddlefish! Colossal squid! See? Random! Crazy! Monkeys…" Seeing that Tristen's face did not believe a single thing Angelina was saying, Angelina sighed, deflating. "Did you… hear me last night?" Angelina asked.

"Enough," Tristen shrugged, stopping his pushups and sitting up. "Look, I don't want you to tell me anything if you don't want to, ok? I'm just concerned about you, that's all. If you want to talk, I'm here to listen. And you don't have to be goofy to have good friends…"

"I'm not _doing_ it for friends," Angelina said flatly, in a tone that Tristen did not expect. "Maybe, I don't know, I act crazy because I _wish_ I was crazy. I might be sane Tristen… but acting that way has brought me more affliction than by acting crazy. I act crazy… because I _like_ acting crazy. I feel _happy_ that way. I don't need to act like this to be happy or have friends. Being crazy… has helped me in ways that you don't know about."

Tristen didn't say anything for a few moments. Finally, he said, "I like you for you," Tristen said. "You act fun and crazy because it brings you happiness. It's nice to know that you're sane though. Less I have to worry about you."

Angelina shook her head, letting out a small laugh. "You don't have to worry about me Mr. Boss," Angelina said, then bit her lip. "Can I… talk to you tomorrow? I'd rather today go… fun, if you don't mind."

Tristen gave a small nod and a smile. "Sure. Like I said, let me know if you need anything from me," Tristen said kindly.

Angelina smiled. "You're the first person I'll call. Well, maybe I'd call a banana first. They know how to throw a party!" Angelina giggled to herself and bounced off. Tristen smiled as she went, still worried about the girl who he considered his best friend.

 **Confessional: So… is Angelina crazy or not crazy?**

 **Tristen: I truly do think Angelina will confide in me tomorrow like she said. I don't think Angelina is any different than she was at the start of the contest. She's still goofy, random, and has a lot of happiness to bring. I just think there's more** _ **too**_ **her, like what you saw. I admire her, that's for #$% sure.** (Sighs.) **Who knew that I had not only one but two girls who have secret unresolved issues I need to help with?**

 **Angelina:** (Looks serious.) **I'm not some random cliché of a girl who changes who she is halfway through the contest because of a silly dare and I want to make amends. I just live in a higher plane of reality because I can't handle** _ **this**_ **reality all the time.** (She gets a goofy look on her face.) **Reality's a #$%! Like dogs! Only more painful and a lot less fun!**

Bruce had woken up from his brief sleep form the night before, as he couldn't get back to sleep easily after his last nightmare. He groggily started to move, to try and wake himself up. It was safe to say that Bruce was failing miserably at this, nodding off to sleep several times, only waking up when he hit the ground.

"Come on Bruce… stay awake," Bruce grumbled, getting to his feet shakily. "You are no good in this contest unless you can focus. What would Morgan say if she saw you falling to sleep standing up like this?"

"That you're a #$% idiot," someone grumbled. Bruce didn't have to glance to know it was Nora who had spoken, walking toward him. When Bruce did look at her, he didn't miss the giant bags under her eyes and that her eyes were bloodshot. "You don't #$% get it, do you Bruce?"

Bruce stomped his foot on the ground, making Nora stop moving. "You can talk #$% about me all you want Nora. But don't. Bad mouth. My sister. Got it?" Bruce nearly spat.

Nora's expression didn't change in the slightest. "Why? Because it was your fault she is where she is? Because you put her there? You don't give #$% about your sister, do you Bruce? You only care because it was _your fault!"_

"And why do you care, hm?" Bruce said, his eye twitching. "Maybe this doesn't have anything to do with me Nora. Maybe you're so hung up over this because _you_ suck at being a sister yourself. This has nothing to do with me, but you."

In an instant, Bruce was shoved against a rock. Bruce choked as he saw Nora was looking at him with soulless eyes, eyes that looked ready to hurt him in an instant. "You don't know _half_ of what true suffering feels like," Nora said, her voice cold. "We might both have a sister who relied on us. The only difference between us is that one of them is awake and actually living. Think on that Bruce and figure out which of us is the better sibling."

Nora let Bruce go and started to walk off. Before she completely disappeared from sight, she stopped. "I might hate you and find you hypocritical… but I need you to help me vote of Tristen if we lose," Nora muttered. "You might hate me and see no reason to do me a favor… but you'll take it. You're kind of stuck where you are right now anyway. You'll do what I say."

Nora walked off, leaving Bruce alone. Bruce was frowning to himself, glaring in the direction Nora had vanished. _She's wrong about a lot of things, especially about Morgan… but she's right about me being stuck. Ugh… I'm going to have to ally with her, aren't I? I guess it's my only option right now… I hate fate sometimes._

 **Confessional: Is fate destiny or is destiny fate?**

 **Bruce: Nora does not know half the things she says. She might have gotten a few facts about my past correct, so bravo to her. But she doesn't know the whole story, and that is why I don't take anything she says seriously. Nora is a waste of time, and if it weren't for the fact that I desperately need her vote, I'd get rid of her. I might try exploring Tristen and Angelina as a back-up option, but as of now, Nora is the only thing keeping me a float in this contest.**

 **Nora:** (Looks a bit shaky.) **Bruce… will fall. He doesn't know anything…** (Shakes her head furiously.) **I can't let my dreams shake me from my goal. I have to focus or I will lose… and I can't lose. Bruce might be someone I despise for personal reasons, but that only stops me from my goal. To win this game… I must work with Bruce. So… I'll work with Bruce.** (She looks dead eyed into the camera.) **Happy Redrick? I'm doing exactly as you taught me.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Kellie had eventually made her way behind the Fire House, sitting down against the house wall. She was swearing at herself, muttering to herself angrily. "Stupid Kellie… stupid everything… why the #$% do I have to #$% feel?"

"MAYBE BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN THAT WAY?" Boomer chuckled. Kellie tensed as Boomer walked toward her, sitting next to her with a smile. "YOU'RE A REALLY HARD GIRL TO FIND WHEN YOU WANT TO BE! AND THAT'S REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE, SINCE YOU'RE SO ANGRY ALL THE TIME! I KIND OF USE YOUR ANGER AS A BEACON!"

Kellie shifted side to side. "Yeah, well… you're loudness makes you easy to find," Kellie grumbled. "Not that it's hard to #$% find you…"

"TRUE!" Boomer chuckled to himself. The two remained silent for a few moments. "HEY KELLIE?! I KNOW YOU HATE THIS FEELING YOU'VE BEEN FEELING AND ALL… BUT MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT! IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO FACE IT HEAD ON THAN IGNORE IT!"

Kellie was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry," she grumbled. "I shouldn't have acted on that feeling… all I know is anger and hate. That's all people see me as anyway."

"NO, THEY DON'T!" Boomer said.

"Yeah, they do. I thought maybe this feeling could change me, make me someone less angry… someone you would like," Kellie muttered then screamed. "BUT I WAS #$% WRONG! ALL IT DID WAS MAKE ME SCREW UP AND PISS ME OFF! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

 _IS SHE A PIRATE NOW?_ Boomer thought to himself. He then shook his head and got back on track. He said calmly, "WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DO YOU THINK I LIKE?"

"Girls who control their temper," Kellie muttered. "Girls who can control themselves. Girls… who aren't me…"

Boomer cocked his head for a moment… before grabbing Kellie's chin, pulled it over, and kissed her. Kellie's eyes flew open wider than they were before. Boomer pulled back with a smile. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WANT ONE OF THOSE GIRLS?"

"But… what… uh… WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Kellie said angrily. "You're #$% confusing me! AND IT'S TICKING ME OFF!"

"SEE?" Boomer chuckled. "WHY WOULD I NOT WANT SOMEONE LIKE YOU? YOU MIGHT HAVE ANGER PROBLEMS, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU SPECIAL! YOU'RE HEART IS SO BIG YOU HAVE A HADNICAP TO KEEP YOU FROM USING IT TO THE FULL EXTENT! KELLIE, I CARE ABOUT YOU A LOT! I DIDN'T TELL YOU BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE YOU ANGRY! SO… UH… I GUESS… WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE MY GIRLFRIEND?! UNLESS THIS CONFESSION TICKS YOU OFF, THEN YOU CAN IGNORE IT!"

Kellie's eye twitched for a moment. " #$%IT! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST #$% TELL ME! THIS WOULD HAVE #$% SAVED A LOT OF #$% EMOTIONAL DRAMA FOR ME!" Kellie grabbed Boomer and slammed her lips on his angrily… but for Boomer, he didn't really mind.

 **Confessional: There had to be a first couple** _ **eventually!**_

 **Kellie:** (Her eye is twitching angrily.) **If Boomer only #$% told me his feelings… I probably would have punched him angrily.** (She looks at the camera angrily.) **What? We might be a couple now, but he still ticks me off. Talking to you ticks me off. EVERYTHING #$% TICKS ME OFF! ARRRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

 **Boomer: OF COURSE I HAVE FEELINGS FOR KELLIE! LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, SHE'S THE ONLY ONE I CAN ACTUALLY HEAR NORMALLY! PLUS, HER ANGER IS SOMETHING I CAN UNDERSTAND! SHE'S A GIRL THAT KNOWS HOW TO LIVE HER LIFE DIFFERENTLY BUT STILL FEEL LIKE SHE CAN GET SOMEWHERE! KELLIE'S MY TYPE OF GIRL, SO I HOPE WE WORK OUT! WHO AM I KIDDING?! OF COURSE WE'LL WORK OUT! WITH MY OPTIMISM AND HER ANGER, WE'RE THE PERFECT BALANCE! PLUS, SINCE GRACIE IS VOTING WITH US, WE CAN'T LOSE AT ELIMINATION EITHER! SCORE ONE FOR US!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Tristen was on a jog by himself, keeping himself in shape. With Angelina wanting to just have fun, he figured he'd stay out of her way and focus on the other girl who was struggling in her life. Tristen continued to jog for a while, looking around to spot Nora. "I wonder where she could be," Tristen said to himself.

"For someone who tries to best me, you suck at noting the obvious," someone grumbled. Tristen looked down and saw Nora lying on the ground, her eyes shut. Tristen raised an eyebrow at this and Nora sighed. "Leave me alone Tristen. I don't need your help."

"Need or want?" Tristen asked her. "Nora, all I want to do it help you. I don't know what's happened in your past, but I'm here to help you if you need it. I'm your friend. That's what I'm for."

Nora's face twitched at the word friend. "I can't have friends," Nora said. "You aren't helping me Tristen. You are only getting in my way. Please… leave me alone."

Tristen raised an eyebrow at this. _Why has Nora changed her attitude? I thought for sure she was changing yesterday, if only subtlety. What would make her change her mind so suddenly?_ "Ok Nora. I'll leave you alone," Tristen said.

However, right as Tristen began to turn, there was a small breeze. It blew Nora's hood off, revealing her face. It also blew back the sleeves. Tristen's eyes widened at what he saw. Hidden by her sleeves were scars and scratch marks, some several years old, others recent. There seemed to be marks of ropes or something binding her to something else driven into her wrists as well.

Her face is what worried Tristen the most though. Hidden by her hood, across her cheek, was a word carved into her. It had scared over a long time ago, but the word was prominent on her face. It read something that would haunt Tristen for a majority of his life.

 _SLAVE_

Nora quickly pulled her hood back up and pulled her sleeves down. She hadn't noticed Tristen notice her marks, which was probably for the best at that point in time. Without saying a word, Tristen quickly left, unsure of how to mention what he saw to Nora.

 **Confessional: Well… that happened.**

 **Nora:** (There seems to be a glint in her eyes, almost as if it was wet.) **I can't get attached to anyone. I bring them in… and tear them apart.** (She blinks a few times.) **I have to destroy Tristen. He's too close to me… and my goal is to destroy anyone who gets close. It's what Redrick taught me to do… and I have to do whatever he says.**

 **Tristen:** (Looks appalled.) **What the heck happened to Nora? Her arms looked bad… but who would** _ **ever**_ **carve** _ **anything**_ **on her cheek like that? I don't know who this Redrick guy is, but I know one thing for #$% sure. He's** _ **not**_ **a good guardian…** (Something seems to click in Tristen's mind.) **Wait a second… didn't Nora say she had a sister?**

 **(Chimneys of Soot)**

After calling everyone together, Topher and Amy had drove everyone down to the next area. Upon arrival, the nine remaining campers beheld several interesting shaped rock formations. They all seemed to be chimneys, with smoke coming out of them like a regular chimney would. Topher gave the contestants a kind smile.

"Good morning contestants," he said. "Before we explain the challenge, we have a few announcements. As the Valiant Volcanoes can see, the Lying Lava voted off Bernard last night. I can't really say I blame them either."

"He was a #$% perv," Kellie grumbled. "I HATE PERVS!"

"You hate everyone," Randall grumbled.

"As for the next announcement," Topher said with a smirk. "Today is a very special day for one of you! In fact… it's Angelina's birthday!" Angelina giggled as everyone smiled and congratulated her a happy birthday. "Now, while we wouldn't normally do this… we're granting Angelina immunity for today only," Topher said. "So, even if she loses, she's officially safe from elimination."

"Good to know," Bruce said to himself.

"Can we get a move on? I don't really give a #$% about the happy details," Amy grumbled.

"Well Miss 'I Hate Everything', why don't you explain the challenge?" Topher smirked.

"Ok, I asked for that one," Amy grumbled. "Today's deadly challenge is climbing up a chimney and retrieving a slice of bacon we've placed at the top. The two chimney's we've selected for you to climb are the tallest in this area and are the same height, to make things 'fair'. The challenge should take you a while, but I don't really #$% care."

"The first team to get all their members to the top and grab the slice of bacon will win the challenge," Topher said. "Oh, and one more thing. Valiant Volcanos, you have one too many players. You have to sit someone out, and it can't be Gracie or Randall."

No one spoke for a few moments. Finally, Randall said, "Boomer, why don't you sit out? Not that we utterly despise you or anything, but we would rather compete in the challenge without you this time."

"OK! SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!" Boomer said with a smile while Kellie looked at Randall with a mix of anger and suspicion. "I'LL SIT OUT THIS TIME TOPHER!"

"Sounds good to me," Topher shrugged. "Alright, everyone get ready at the bottom of your chimneys! Boomer, you can wait here while we through it to commercial and get everyone set up." The eight competing contestants followed a reluctant Amy to the chimneys while Boomer sat down. Topher turned to the camera and grinned. "What awaits our contestants now? Find out when we return right after the break!"

 **Confessional: Those darn commercials always cut when things get good!"**

 **Tristen: That must be why Angelina didn't want to talk this morning. She wants to enjoy her birthday instead of dwelling in the past. I can respect that, so I'll keep to myself until todays over.** (He pauses for a moment.) **I guess that means I can focus on Nora instead. Thing is… how can I help her when she obviously doesn't want my help? That's not exactly an easy thing to do…**

 **Randall:** (Laughs evilly to himself.) **I admit, I surprise myself with how good I am sometimes. I knew Boomer would fall for it. Now, I just have to keep Kellie away from me and things will go smoothly.** (Sighs.) **Seriously, since when did the villain's sidekick role get so hard?**

 **Kellie: Randall's up to something… AND IT MAKES ME MAD! I swear, when I find out what he's up to… I'll try to calm down and handle the situation like Boomer would. BY YELLING AT HIS FACE AND CURSING EVERYTHING HE #$% CARES ABOUT! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

 **Bruce: Is Kellie a pirate now? Huh. Anyway, with Angelina immune, this might be an opportunity I can exploit. I can appeal to Angelina's crazy nature and help make her birthday great by eliminating someone. My only choices are Nora and Tristen though.** (Thinks about it.) **Eh, we'll see where things are by the end of the challenge, no worries.**

 **BN: Figured I get out a nice little chapter really fast for you guys. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Things are only going to come down from here, so stay tuned!**

 **Next Time:** Angelina enjoys her birthday and Sammy takes care of Asszilla. Both teams climb the chimneys, one of the teams win, and the other votes someone off.


	14. E6 P2: The Chimneys of Soot

**Disclaimer: I own only the 14 OC contestants plus Quiltal. Everything else is probs not mine.**

 **Ben's Note of Sheer Awesome: And done! This chapter was harder for me to write especially long, mostly because the number of contestants is dropping so fast! But that's to be expected! Things are really getting heated now, and it's not just because it's Fire Island! Now, I might be slow on updates since I'm going to be working 24/6, so don't expect too much from this story. But, as soon as I get back, two more episodes and over to start TDGB! I can't wait, and I know you guys can't too, so enjoy the chapter!**

Chimneys where the sweeps don't sweep.

E6 P2: The Chimneys of Soot

 **(Chimneys of Soot)**

The two teams with the competing contestants had lined themselves up at the chimney's Amy had pointed out. There was a giant hole in the bottom of each one, allowing access for everyone to enter. Amy grumpily stood in-between the two giant chimney's, muttering something to herself. Once she noticed the camera was in position, she nodded to herself.

"Alright #$%, time for you guys to risk your lives," Amy muttered. "Remember, get the bacon at the top of the chimney. And yes, all four of you _have_ to touch the bacon in order to win. Ugh, I hate food based challenges… what the #$% are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

The eight competing contestants blinked, but none-the-less sped off into their separate chimneys. Amy muttered to herself angrily as they started to climb on the inside of their separate chimneys. "Maybe I can #$% torture _Samey_ for a while. It'll keep me #$% occupied…" Amy muttered and walked off, leaving the contestants to their trial.

 **(Lying Lava)**

The four remaining members of the Lying Lava had walked into the main body of the chimney they had to climb. Upon further inspection, they found that the overall bricks in the chimney were staggered, allowing for makeshift steps. The chimney was also fairly dark, but did have enough light inside of it for them to see.

"It appears to be similar to a staircase, only it involves jumping to different steps on different sides of the structure," Tristen noted. "It's kind of like those jogging stairs in gyms. Only the stairs aren't moving and the direction they are in swap around."

Nora analyzed the bricks and frowned a little. "Some of the steps will break when we step on them," Nora said. "We cannot afford to step on the ones that break. Before you move, ask me if the brick will break."

"Will this one break?" Angelina asked, holding up a purple brick. How she got the brick, no one really knew. However, upon looking at the brick a moment, Angelina shrugged and tossed it behind her. "Eh, too purple for me! I prefer yellow! YELLOW!"

Without warning, Angelina bounced from where she was and onto one of the first steps on the first block. Angelina, upon landing, wobbled back and forth before the brick grumbled underneath her feet. Angelina giggled as she fell down the stairs and landed on her stomach on the ground. Nora shook her head as she and Tristen walked up to her.

"What part of ask me do you not comprehend?" Nora asked flatly.

"The birthday part!" Angelina giggled, jumping yet again onto a brick. This time, it didn't crumble beneath her feet. Angelina giggled and bounced on her head and jumped up the stairs ahead of the others. "Come on slow pokes! Make like pirates and sail the seven stairs!"

"Pirate theme? Did Angelina get a memo from Kellie or something?" Bruce grumbled as he walked past a smiling Tristen and blank faced Nora. "Doesn't matter. She's immune if we lose or not, so I'll embrace her insanity, if only one more round. Come on, let's get to the top of this thing."

Bruce started after Angelina, careful not to step on a crumbly brick. Tristen watched him walk ahead and then glanced hesitantly at Nora. "He really is grinding on my nerves," Tristen said. "Mind teaming up with me and Angelina to vote him off if we lose? We'd have the majority, after all."

Nora didn't respond for a few moments. Finally, she said, "You need to stop trying to get me to accept you. You are of no importance to me and you are a mere distraction. I don't take prisoners Tristen. I will destroy you. Don't get in my way between now and then."

Nora walked forward up the steps. Tristen raised an eyebrow at this and followed after him, thinking to himself intently. _I don't think this is the real Nora,_ Tristen thought to himself. _That word carved into her cheek… she's not thinking for herself. Maybe she's not really trying to destroy me. Maybe… just maybe…_

… _she's subtly trying to get my help._

 **Confessional: I need mental help for all the times in alternate universes Kellie rips me apart…**

 **Bruce: Thinking it over, I figured something out. Maybe I should remain as low key as possible during the challenge. Sure, I can make some comments here, some comments there, but if I remain isolated, the others might just ignore me and move on. Sure, if Nora sticks with me and actually votes off Tristen like she wants, it'll most likely tie between me and Tristen. But like I said, with Nora acting up more than usual, you never know with these kinds of things.**

 **Tristen: I believe in Nora. I might be her main target from the sounds of it, but I still believe that there's a young woman in there who wishes to have a different life. I might respect her space, but I'm still going to help her, whether she says she wants it or not.** (Gives the camera a small smile.) **This either makes me look like a hero or some kind of overprotective villain. I don't care if I'm either. All I care about is Nora's safety.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The four competing contestants for the Valiant Volcanos walked into the main area of the chimney. Like the Lying Lava, they were quick to notice the staggered bricks, allowing for easy access of jumping up to the top. Unlike the Lying Lava, however, the Valiant Volcano's chimney had a giant hole in the side, allowing for light to poor inside.

"I wonder if someone can die of too much sunlight," Roxanne mused as she walked over to the first set of brick steps."Cancer? I guess that works, but cancer's a boring death! I want something exciting! Like death by man crabs!"

"Um… what's a man crab?" Gracie asked. "Wouldn't it just be a giant crab? Or am I off in saying that?"

"Gracie, listen to me for a second," Kellie said calmly. "It's Roxanne. She says something about a weird man crab thing. Again, she's Roxanne. WHY THE #$% WOULD YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT?! SHE'D PROBABLY USE IT TO #$% KILL YOU! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN BE REMOTELY CURIOUS AS TO WHAT #$% MAN CRABS ARE?!"

Gracie gulped in fear, but then took in a deep breath, looking Kellie straight in the eye. "Maybe because I wanted to," she said simply. "Maybe they might be little murderers, but that doesn't give you the right to yell at me for being 'dumb'. I was just curious."

"I would call that a burn, but you're being too soft," Randall whispered into Gracie's ear. "To be a true villain, knock her off her pedestal. Make her realize who's truly in charge. Because it definitely is not her."

"It also doesn't give you the right to be an angry #$% all the time," Gracie said flatly, much to the shock of Kellie. "Yeah, you heard me! You're an angry #$%! Get over yourself and actually contribute to the team for once! It's your shot at a million bucks too you know. Woman up."

"Now _that's_ more villain-like," Randall chuckled and pressed onward. Gracie beamed and followed after Randall, Roxanne musing her way behind them. This left Kellie all by herself, watching the first three climb up the steps without her. Most stupid people would think that Kellie was hurt by the things Gracie had said to her. But anyone who truly knew Kellie knew differently.

Kellie was ticked off.

 **Confessional: Wait for it…**

 **Kellie: Gracie… told me… TO WOMAN UP?! WHO THE #$% DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?! SHE CALLS HERSELF BOOMER'S FRIEND?! WHY WOULD BOOMER ASSOCIATE HERSELF WITH SUCH FILTH LIKE GRACIE?! MARK MY WORDS GRACIE, YOU HAVE NOT FACED MY WRATH! YOU WILL SUFFER FOR EVER PURPOSELY** _ **PISSING**_ **ME OFF! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!**

 **Gracie:** (Cocks her head to the side.) **Is Kellie a pirate now? Guess I didn't get the memo that pirates are apparently popular now.** (She shrugs and then suddenly giggles to herself.) **But seriously, did you guys** _ **hear**_ **what I said to Kellie? That was… that was…** _ **fun**_ **! Sure, I didn't really** _ **mean**_ **any of the things I said, but I said them so confidently and I really took charge of the situation! Maybe I am cut out for being a big player.** (She sighs.) **Now if only I could figure out which side to take… Boomer's or Randall's?**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Inside the other chimney, the four members of the Lying Lava were being vagarious as they climbed upward. They had officially gone up three sets of bricks, but from what they could see, they were still nowhere close to the top. It didn't really matter to them right then, however. There was still time for them to get to the top, so long as the other team was having as much difficulty as they were.

Currently, Tristen was resting for a moment on the fourth set of stairs, taking a short breather. He had managed to pull ahead of the rest of the group and decided to help them get up to the ledge he was resting on. As they had not arrived yet, he figured he could risk resting. He let out a heavy sigh as he sat, just looking up at nothing in particular.

"Nora and Angelina seem to be having problems back home," he said aloud. "Imagine if Bruce had family issues too. This team sure has a lot of problems, even with Bernard gone." He chuckles to himself and then lets out a sigh. "I feel as though that in itself is a motivator to focus on winning. If we lose, I have to vote someone out. Bruce is the official scape goat, sure, but with Nora how she is right now, that doesn't guarantee my safety at all. It probably wouldn't help if I had an idol either, because it'd probably just end up as a tie anyway."

Tristen shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now Tristen," he said to himself. "Focus on the task at hand. Angelina has immunity today even if we do end up losing, so that's one relief taken from my shoulders. All we need to do is win the challenge and today will be perfect."

"Nope!" Angelina said. Tristen jumped, startled that Angelina had suddenly appeared on one of his shoulders. He hadn't felt her climb on top of him nor did he hear her try to get up to where he was. Angelina giggled to herself upon seeing Tristen's reaction and hopped off of him. "I'm maaaaaaaaaaaagic!" Angelina said, giggling again. "No help for me, nope!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you can managed on your own," Tristen chuckled. "Happy birthday, by the way. I didn't know your birthday was during the contest. I would have thought that most contestants would have stayed home for their birthday, since they can actually celebrate it at home with their family and friends."

"Duh! Why do you think I'm here?" Angelina giggled, rolling her eyes as though the answer was obvious. "But thanks Mr. Boss! I appreciate it! Now, if only I could find pickles in a birthday cake… now _then_ would my birthday be perfect! I've only ever had one birthday with pickle cake, and that was my favorite birthday ever! But… if I can find pickle cake… with a glass figurine of a parrot that looks strangely like Kellie… now _then_ this would be the best birthday ever! Bye Mr. Boss! I have _cake_ to find!"

Angelina giggled to herself goofily and bounced up the stairs, off to search for her pickle cake. Tristen shook his head with a smile on his face, obviously amused by her statement. "You know, the thing is, knowing Angelina… she's probably going to find that cake," Tristen said, shaking his head with an amused smile. Then he paused. "Wait… we're in the middle of an island of fire. Wouldn't a cake melt in this heat?"

 **Confessional: I think Tristen has cake mixed up with ice cream.**

 **Tristen:** (Appears to be thinking hard about something.) **I was just thinking about something Angelina said to me a little while ago. I told her that most contestants would spend their birthdays at home, with their friends and family. Angelina simply told me back that she was here for that very reason.** (He pauses for a moment.) **What makes here, an island full of fire and possible death, a better place than her home? I'm not sure I quite understand how Angelina put that one together.**

 **Angelina: There** _ **was**_ **that birthday with the rat marrying the squirrel that's high on the list of favorite birthdays, but that was a** _ **weird**_ **birthday, even for me! Long story short, I was playing by this tree in the city park across town from where I live on my sixth birthday. I was playing all alone when I met this squirrel who, get this, hates nuts! It was the weirdest thing ever! So I decided to give the squirrel something it did love: a pet rat that I found living in m…** _ **an**_ **alley! I make the rat look all pretty and I give him to the squirrel, who I later found out was a girl. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the rat pulled out this really pretty topaz ring and proposed! YAY FOR RODENT LOVE! So we had the wedding on my birthday! I was the maid of honor… and the best man… and a lot of other weird things! But I'm a weird girl, so YAY FOR HAVING WEIRD SQUIRREL RAT WEDDINGS ON MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR!**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Making slow but steady progress up the steps, the Valiant Volcanoes were slightly behind the Lying Lava. Kellie had somehow made her way to the front of the group, probably because she was still raging mad at what Gracie had said earlier. She was grumbling angrily to herself as she hurled herself across the chimney onto the next set of steps leading upward. She muttered something pretty nasty as she sat down, glaring down at Gracie, who was cautiously taking step after step.

"Ugh… no one calls me that and gets away with it…" Kellie muttered. She stopped and sighed, taking a deep breath. "Calm down Kellie. Calm. Down. Remember, you need to stay strong for Boomer and try to keep your temper in check. Instead of getting mad, replace your anger with that other emotion you feel for Boomer… what did he call it again?"

"Love? Infatuation? The smoochy smooch? Take your pick, I don't really care what you call it," someone said. A vein in Kellie's neck visibly seemed to explode as she turned her head to see Randall sitting next to her, a smirk prominent on his face. "I think you were thinking love, but you? Love? Ha! Now there's a joke I find funny!"

"I am calm… I do not want to kill Randall… I do not want to kill Randall," Kellie said, trying to keep herself from blowing up in Randall's face. Suffice it to say, it wasn't working very well. "I DO NOT WANT TO #$% KILL RANDALL! I DO NOT WANT TO #$% KILL RANDALL!"

"Really? Because to me, it feels like you want to kill Randall," Randall said flatly.

"WELL YOU SURELY AREN'T #$% HELPING ME _NOT_ WANT TO KILL YOU!" Kellie screamed at his face. "DO YOU MIND #$%?!"

"I can think, if that's what you mean," Randall mused, making another vein on Kellie's neck to seemingly pop. "But really? 'Do you mind?' Is that where this next generation is going with the English language? Kind of sad if that's really where we're going."

"You _really_ piss me off!" Kellie said through gritted teeth. "What are you #$% doing up here anyway? Are you purposely trying to get me to explode? BECAUSE IT'S #$% WORKING IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO!"

"Seeing as you're a #$% idiot, I'll tell you exactly what I'm doing," Randall smirked. "Yes, I'm trying to get you to explode. Why? Because if I make you seem more of a target, Gracie won't falter from her villainous footsteps. Just keep exploding angrily, and you won't stand a chance if we lose. A smart plan… one that you'll get angry about in three, two, one…"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Kellie screamed. "YOU LITTLE PIECE OF #$%! YOU #$% #$%! YOU JERK!"

"That last one wasn't your strongest insult," Randall said flatly. "Still, you're pretty much doomed… but I do love making people angry, so I don't mind sticking…"

Kellie had grabbed Randall's head at this point and threw him down on the other set of stairs. Gracie had made it up to this point and frowned as she saw Randall land next to her. "Kellie, we're supposed to go _up_ ," Gracie said.

"No _#$%_ Sherlock," Kellie muttered and angrily walked up the stairs.

Gracie bent over and helped Randall to his feet. Randall wobbled for a moment before steadying himself. Gracie gave him a shaky smile. "You alright? That looked pretty bad," Gracie said worriedly.

Randall shrugged, merely smirking. "Takes more to put a hole in me," Randall said. "By the way, you need to work on your scolding. As a villain, it needs to be more angry, making Kellie show how you really feel. That was all well and good… for a sappy villain. With you, I expect more… _harshness_. Understand?"

"Crystal clear," Gracie nodded.

 **Confessional: Foggy clear for me!**

 **Randall: Look, knowing that Gracie is still on my side gives me a little security. Even if Kellie hates me, she hates Roxanne way more. The way I see it, if anyone right now is targeted, it'd be Roxanne. Now, I'm not worried because I still have three votes to Kellie and Boomer's two, so long as I keep Gracie on my side. If needs be I'll be the scapegoat and clear a path for Roxanne… but right now, I don't need to worry about changing my plan. As to why I revealed it to Kellie… what she going to do? Tell on me to Boomer? Like that'd do her any good. All I did was assure that she'd get ticked off, which'll make Gracie want to vote Kellie off even more.** (He laughs.) **Wow. Who knew I'd love playing this game so much?**

 **Kellie:** (Her eye is twitching angrily.) **THAT LITTLE #$%! WHEN I #$% GET MY HANDS ON HIM, I'M GOING TO #$% HIM UNTIL HE'S #$% DEAD! THEN I'LL #$% KILL HIS DEAD CARCASS AND MAKE HIS CARCASS'S DEAD BODY SUFFER! NO ONE #$% WITH ME LITTLE MAN!** _ **NO ONE!**_

 **(Lying Lava)**

While Tristen seemed to be up ahead a ways, Bruce trailed in the back to himself, watching the other three make quick work of each flight of bricks. As he watched, he made mental notes about all three of them. He didn't say these things aloud, but he thought about them intently, quick to make good judgments.

 _Tristen always has been the most physical out of all three of us,_ Bruce thought. _If Nora's serious about this temporary truce, I won't have to worry about him for the long term. The merge should be a breeze so long as he's gone before it, which, knowing the pattern, should be tomorrow, if this keeps up. And knowing the laws and chaos of this show, the pattern will probably follow._

 _Nora, on the other hand, hasn't actually done that well in physical challenges. Seeing as this season relies heavily on the ability to do physical activities, Nora might be a good option to keep around for the long term. I don't like her in the slightest, but compared to some of the others on the other team, she might be one of the easiest to beat, maybe right next to Randall._

 _Angelina… she's the real wild card out of everyone left. I can't really seem to know what her strengths and weaknesses are. I do know she's hyper and has a lot of energy, but whether she uses that energy or not in challenges hasn't really been something to look out for. I'll probably end up dealing with her in the merge, so I need to start paying more attention to her during challenges._

"You're thinking is giving me a headache," Nora grumbled in front of him. Bruce was startled, surprised that Nora had even been looking back at him to observe him. Nora sighed, shaking her head in annoyance. "I can feel you walking stiffly behind me, not connected to what's going on around you," Nora said flatly. "Obviously you're thinking about something, more than likely about everyone left in the contest and how you can win."

"Safe bet, I'll let you have that one," Bruce muttered. "You know, even though you keep proving it to me over and over, I'm still not convinced you can observe things at the level you do. Honestly? I think this thing you do is a load of crap."

Nora froze for a moment, prompting Bruce to stop as well. Nora did not say a word for a long time. Finally, she said, "You have several cuts on your ankle, most of which are fresh. Ever since the incident, you're parents always check your arms to make sure you aren't hurting yourself. You've been cutting your ankles whenever you have a nightmare about it. Which, from observing the past couple days, you have nightmares quite often."

Bruce tensed and then scowled at Nora. "You watch me when I sleep now? Comforting," Bruce said flatly. "Well, news flash to you. I'm not the only one who has nightmares, am I?"

It was Nora's turn to tense. "How did you…" she said, trailing off.

"You didn't sleep far from my rock last night," Bruce said flatly. "I was up most of the night anyway and I saw you toss and turn awake. Quit being so harsh on me when, for all I know, you're probably a worse person than I am."

Nora, still not facing Bruce, caught her breath a moment. She didn't breathe for a moment, a tear trickling down her cheek. Finally, she said, without a single hint of emotion to be heard, she said, "Maybe that's because I _am_ a worse person than you are." And without another word, Nora walked forward.

 **Confessional: I'm sturdier than you are because I have a foundation in the ground!**

 **Bruce:** (Looks seemingly annoyed.) **Nora's a hypocrite, if I'm speaking honestly. She's been saying this whole contest that I've been going about this the wrong way, that my little sister wouldn't want me to be going down the path I've been going down. And I've realized that yeah, Nora's right. I've made mistakes and I've been 'atoning' for them incorrectly. But now she's going and saying that** _ **she's**_ **an awful person?** (Sighs.) **If she wasn't my ticket out of this, she'd be gone in a second.**

 **Nora:** (Looks emotionlessly at the camera.) **No one understand what it means to be evil. No one in this world knows how evil feels. Not even criminals, as criminals see their deeds as right as they commit them. Even Bruce, in all of his actions, has seen them as the right thing to do.** (She pauses.) **Knowing what it is to be evil, knowing the heart of it, is committing an action so terrible it ruins a lot of people's lives… and you know it is wrong from the start. There are evil people in this world… but few know what it truly feels like to** _ **be**_ **evil.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

While Randall had gone to try to make pace with Kellie again, Gracie hung back, wanting to enjoy herself as she made her way up the chimney. She was quite enjoying herself as she trekked upwards, bobbing her head side to side for no particular reason. She sighed in bliss as she slid over onto another set of bricks, walking up to the point she could get to the next set.

"I never realized how much fun it is to do things that commoners do," Gracie mused. "I mean, sure, Dad lets me go camping sometimes, but that wouldn't really be considered camping since it's to our cabin complete with an indoor hot tub. Being able to be out and enjoying nature… now _this_ is just a nice feeling to have!"

"You want to know what else feels nice? Pulling your toenails clean off! It hurts, but after two toes, it's kind of soothing!" Roxanne giggled, walking up from behind Gracie. Gracie visibly shivered, but Roxanne seemed to miss it. "Hiya Gracie! How have you been spending your last days on Earth?"

Gracie took a shaky and fearful breath, but managed to keep herself calm. "I've been confused the past couple of days, but I think I've been doing well enough," she said. "How have you been?"

"It's been fun!" Roxanne giggled. "I've already taken out a deer's spleen and added it to my collection! It's a pretty decent one too! I'm hoping to get one of Angelina's eyeballs before she's eliminated! That would go great next to my uncle's skull, which I melted the skin off of! Hey, are you feeling ok?"

Gracie had physically turned green for a moment, looking a little woozy. But, to her credit, she managed to swallow her lunch and return her color to normal. "I'm… fine," she said, taking another swallow. "So… you've been on track, I guess?"

"Yep, you could say that!" Roxanne giggled. "Have you?"

"Well… I did vote off Tara and Jeremy… so no," Gracie admitted with a sigh. "I just feel as though I'm not making the correct decisions. Other people think they're the right ones… but I personally don't feel as though they are right."

"Maybe look at it this way! You voted off an old enemy and a potential boyfriend! You got rid of the distractions in the contest!" Roxanne giggled. "So maybe you should look at it as though you aren't making the wrong decisions, but the ones that keep you from becoming distracted!"

Gracie blinked for a moment. "Wow Roxanne. That was pretty deep, even for you," Gracie admitted. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime! Just wanted to check to see if you were on the track you personally need to be on!" Roxanne giggled. "Now, I love impaling people with carrots, but would you prefer to be guillotined? I have on in my room all set up for you! But if you prefer the carrot death, I can always do that too!"

"Er…" Gracie said awkwardly. "Can I… get back to you on that one? I have some… er… things I have to do before I die, if you don't mind."

"Ok! Just remember, eating a jar whole and then smashing it from within your stomach is fun only when you can lodge it between your lungs," Roxanne said seriously, then giggled. "Well, so is necrophilia in general, but even then it can get a bit disgusting!"

"Thanks… *gag*… for the tip," Gracie said, holding in her lunch and quickly made her way away from Roxanne, who simply gave an innocent smile.

 **Confessional: Some of these deaths seem a bit gruesome.**

 **Roxanne: Oh, wait, Gracie doesn't like carrots. Maybe I can crush her rib cage with a cart of bricks! I remember Mr. N saying that the best way to get someone's insides to collapse is to crush it with bricks!** (Giggles.) **Mr. N is my mentor! He and I go way back to when I first saw him kill someone! All my murder knowledge comes from him, yep! I hope I get to see him soon, it's been a while since he and I had a good chat about dissecting pregnant women! Two deaths in one!**

 **Gracie:** (Still looks green.) **Roxanne… isn't really the best for conversation topics. But what she said about distractions is interesting. Maybe… maybe I** _ **should**_ **vote out Kellie. I mean… she's Boomer's friend, so if I vote her off, that's one distraction out of the way. Only… would Roxanne be a distraction too? I've been worried about her for a while… maybe voting her off would be the best.** (Sighs, shaking her head.) **And now I'm right back where I started. Yay for me.**

 **(Outside the Chimney's)**

Outside the chimneys and away from most of the action, Boomer was sitting on a rock, waiting with a smile on his face. Topher wasn't too far from him, watching a live feed from his phone to map the two teams' progress. He nodded to himself as the minutes ticked by, mentally recording their place in the chimney with the amount of time they had left on the air.

"Good. At the rate they're going, I won't have to worry about cutting too much of the footage out," Topher said to himself. He then looked over at Boomer and gave him an apologetic grin. "Sorry you have to wait so long. I would have let it so all the team members got to participate, but this way, it's fair on all sides."

"IT'S NO PROBLEM TOPHER!" Boomer said kindly, still keeping his smile on his face. "I DON'T MIND WAITING FOR A WHILE! I JUST HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO SIT ANOTHER PERSON OUT BEFORE THE MERGE! WE'RE GOING TO GET TO KELLIE'S TURN EVENTUALLY, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT SHE HATES WAITING!"

Topher chuckled to himself. "I think Kellie hates everything Boomer," he said to him. "Although, I think that she could hate waiting more… so I'll take your word on that."

"KELLIE DOESN'T REALLY HATE EVERYTHING! SHE JUST HAS A HIGH TEMPER, THAT'S ALL!" Boomer said. "SHE GETS FRUSTRATED EASILY! YOU JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW HER CYCLE OF ANGER AND YOU CAN EVENTUALLY GET HER TO CALM DOWN, OR IF NOT THAT MUCH, AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HER! I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ONLY SEEING THE ANGRY SIDE OF KELLIE, NOT THE ACTUAL SWEET SIDE SHE HAS TO HER!"

"You're probably right," Topher agreed. "Most people just look at what they can initially see, not who the actual person is. That's why this world relies on people like you, who find those diamonds in the rough and make them feel special. By the way, I congratulate you and hooking up with Kellie. I ship it from the bottom of my heart."

"AW, THANKS MAN!" Boomer smiled. "SERIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD GIVE KELLIE A CHANCE! SHE'S LUCKY THAT I CAN HEAR HER SO WELL! I THINK ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND THEN THE TWO OF US JUST CLICKED!"

"Still, I'm happy for you," Topher chuckled, then paused for a moment. "Hey, how bad is your hearing? Is it almost all gone or is there still some of it left?"

"WELL, IT'S PRACTICALLY GONE! I CAN STILL HEAR LOUD SOUNDS LIKE KELLIE'S YELLING AND HONKING, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRETTY MUCH GONE!" Boomer said. "LUCKY FOR ME, I KNOW HOW TO READ LIPS FAIRLY WELL, SO THAT'S WHY I'M ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THIS CONVERSATION!"

"I see… hey Boomer, I have an offer for you," Topher said. "I might have a pair of hearing aids lying around somewhere, seeing as we inherited everything from the show that Chris previously had, including everything that was in the Jumbo Jet. If you promise to look after Kellie until the day you die, I'll see if I can find them for you and let you have them after the contest."

Boomer seemed to beam at this offer. "REALLY? NO STRINGS ATTACHED? JUST CARE ABOUT KELLIE WITH ALL MY HEART?!" Boomer asked him.

"Yep, that's about it," Topher chuckled.

"DONE! THANKS TOPHER! I REALLY THINK YOU'RE A GOOD HOST, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU LOOK OUT FOR US CONTESTANTS!" Boomer said. Topher chuckled and looked back at his phone, checking out where the teams currently were.

 **Confessional: See? Every host is better than canon Chris!**

 **Boomer:** (Seems to decide on something.) **ANY NORMAL PERSON WOULD MAKE THAT PROMISE AND JUST TAKE THE HEARING AIDS AND NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT IT! BUT LISTEN TO ME NOW, BECAUSE I'M LOUD AND I KNOW YOU CAN ALL HEAR ME PRETTY GOOD! IF I EVER BREAK UP WITH KELLIE, WHICH I HOPE I DON'T, I** _ **WILL**_ **RETURN THE HEARING AIDS STRAIGHT BACK TO TOPHER! IF I CAN'T MANAGE TO HOLD UP MY END OF THE BARGAIN, WHY SHOULD HE HOLD UP HIS? I FEEL AS THOUGH THAT'S THE HONORABLE THING TO DO! BUT I DON'T THINK WE'LL BREAK UP, NOT FOR A LONG TIME, SO THIS IS JUST FOR ME TO CLEAR MY CONSCIENCE!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Back in the Lying Lava's chimney, Angelina had held back for a moment, letting Tristen go ahead and take the lead. Angelina walked over to one of the walls of the chimney and grabbed a brick, smiling as she did so. "Ah, my twelfth birthday. I remember it well! I couldn't get my hands on enough money to buy a cake, but I did have some frosting and a brick!" Angelina let out a sigh with a smile. "That was a tasty brick."

"If someone told me," Bruce said, approaching Angelina from behind, "that they had eaten a whole brick, I wouldn't have believed them. But then again, this is you, so I don't really doubt it. Happy birthday, by the way."

"Ah, thanks Bruce the spruce tree!" Angelina said, letting out a giggle. "That was a good tasting brick! Tasted like grapes. Not that often I have grapes, so having a grape flavored brick was a great treat for me! Yay for grapes and bricks!"

Bruce let out a small chuckle, retaining a small smile. "Glad you're having memories of birthdays past," he said. "Now, unfortunately, I'm not here just to talk and chat with you, much to my displeasure. I have a request of you, and I was wondering if you'd be interested."

"Depends. Do you like spinach or carrots?" Angelina asked him seriously.

Bruce blinked in surprise to the question. "Um… excuse me?" Bruce asked her.

"Did you fart? I didn't hear it if you did! I said, do you like spinach or carrots," Angelina asked him one more time.

Bruce eyed Angelina carefully and a little bit suspiciously. "I prefer carrots, if I'm completely honest with you," Bruce said. "I won't say _no_ to spinach, but if it's overall flavor, I prefer carrots. Now can I ask you my favor?"

"Nope," Angelina said, bouncing around Bruce and up the steps.

Bruce blinked again in surprise. "And why can't I ask you the favor?" Bruce said, turning around she he could face Angelina's back.

"Because you answered carrots. I can't do things for serial killers you know! It's a pretty well-known fact that all serial killers love carrots!" Angelina giggled. "I learned it in a game once! I think it's a Pop-eye reference, but I wouldn't know! I don't watch TV! Mostly because I don't have one. Was I answering a question for you? Sorry, I forgot! Mushrooms!"

Angelina bounced away, too quickly for Bruce to even try to catch up to her. Bruce blinked again a few times, seemingly getting more and more confused with each and every blink. "She refused to listen to my favor… because I like carrots?" he said to himself.

 **Confessional: Believe it or not, that happened to the author in a game of Town of Salem. Only instead of favor, it was a jailor threatening to kill him.**

 **Bruce:** (Still blinking in surprise and confusion.) **Seriously though, she refused to listen to me over carrots? I get that Angelina is crazy, but carrots? Why carrots? That has no context to anything whatsoever! Sure, maybe me being a jerk or tricking her into voting off Bernard, but carrots? Why would she use** _ **that**_ **against me?** (He sighs.) **I guess using Angelina for this wasn't my best idea. I guess I can try to appeal to Tristen… the only difference being is that Tristen is sane and Angelina isn't.** (He sighs again.)

 **Angelina: You know what else that brick reminded me off? Toads. After I ate it, I suddenly got all these warts all over my hand. They were pretty bad, they covered almost every inch of my hand! But don't worry, I got rid of them using honey from some bee hives! Sure, I got stung a couple hundred times trying to get it, but the bright side is that I got rid of all the warts! Yay for the magic of the mighty bees!**

 **(Valiant Volcanoes)**

After a few more minutes of climbing up the chimney, Gracie had managed to get as far away from Roxanne as possible. She had passed Randall and continued to progress forward without much delay. She finally managed to catch up to Kellie, who had just leapt across the length of the chimney onto the next main platform.

"Hey Kellie!" Gracie called over to her, preparing herself to jump. "Catch me, ok? I don't think I'll make it just by myself!" Gracie jumped, reaching for the edge. Kellie grabbed her hand and pulled her up, helping her steady herself. Gracie smiled gratefully at Kellie. "Thanks. I owe you one," Gracie said with a smile.

"No #$% you owe me," Kellie muttered. "You were going to #$% vote me off because of my #$% anger issues, weren't you? WEREN'T YOU?!"

Gracie blinked, taking a slow step back. "No! Never!" Gracie said, her voice shaking. "I might have thought about it before, but I don't really see you as any major type of threat, honest! Where would you get an idea like that?"

"I don't know, let's see… BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO #$% WITH YOUR 'FRIENDS'!" Kellie roared at her. "Boomer and I got together _this morning_. The way I see it… you're going to #$% betray him by voting me off. And get this Gracie… I DON'T #$% LIKE BEING VOTED OFF TO TORTURE MY BOYFRIEND!"

Gracie visibly winced, knowing that she fully deserved that. She thought to herself, _Shoot… Kellie's right. She has no real reason to trust me because all I've done is betray everyone that I've trusted up to this point. I'm happy Boomer and Kellie got together… but I don't want Kellie to think I'm going to betray or purposely hurt Boomer…_

"I'm really sorry that you see me only as someone who betrays her friends," Gracie said slowly. "I admit that I haven't really been the best friend to my friends, and they've been eliminated because of my mistakes. For that, I really am sorry. But Kellie, I won't hurt Boomer, I promise. I plan on voting off Roxanne tonight, so you don't have to worry about anything!"

Kellie eyed Gracie suspiciously. "I don't remotely trust you," Kellie muttered. "But as we can settle this without a tie… fine. Roxanne goes tonight… or I'll have Boomer UTTERLY #$% DESTROY YOU! Do I make myself clear?"

Gracie audibly gulped in fear. "I hear you very clearly," Gracie said.

"You better. Otherwise I'll be pissed off. And I'm warning you Gracie… I'M NOT A #$% NICE PERSON WHEN I'M #$% PISSED OFF! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Kellie roared and ran up the steps. Before she could get too far, she stopped and glanced back at Gracie. "Is it just me, or do I sound like a pirate when I yell like that?" she asked.

"You know, now that you mention it…" Gracie said nervously. "You do… kind of imitate a pirate when you scream. Do you descend from pirates or something?"

Kellie's eye twitched angrily. "DOES IT #$% LOOK LIKE I DESCEND FROM #$% PIRATES?! DOES IT!?" Kellie roared, then she sighed. "Yeah, I do actually. I have a distantly fortieth cousin who acts like a pirate actually. AND HE #$% PISSES ME OFF SO #$% MUCH! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR… No, I'm not doing it." With that said, Kellie simply turned back around and kept walking forward.

 **Confessional: For those CB fans, you probably know who.**

 **Kellie:** (Looks somewhat pissed off.) **DOES IT LOOK LIKE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY PIRATE LINEAGE?! NO! I #$% DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! SO DON'T BUG ME OVER FANMAIL ABOUT IT #$%!** (Sits awkwardly for a few moments.) **Ok, fine! My dad descended from several well-known sea pirates, including all the Beard families. Red Beard, Black Beard, Rainbow Beard, all of them. My mom descends from a lot of Vikings.** (Pauses.) **Maybe that's where we get all this pent up anger from… AND IT TICKS ME OFF!**

 **Gracie:** (Looks panicked and worried at the same time.) **Oh no, oh no, oh no! I can't make any moves without hurting someone! If I vote Boomer, Kellie's going to kill me! If I vote Kellie, Boomer's going to kill me! If I vote Roxanne… well, Randall might not** _ **kill**_ **me, but Roxanne might!** (Breaths heavily.) **What am I going to do, what am I going to do, what am I going to do?!**

 **(Lying Lava)**

Tristen was still mostly ahead of the rest of his team. Being the best physically on his team, he wasn't that surprised that he had a pretty decent lead over the others. He kept his pace, not going too fast to tire himself out, but not going to slow to prevent him from losing. He took a quick glance upward and gave himself a nod. "I'm about half-way up the chimney, give or take," Tristen said to himself. "We should be seeing light soon, so that should make things go by a bit faster than they have been."

"You're skill at observation is decent, but you can't do things nearly as complex as I can," someone said. Tristen didn't even look, already knowing that it was Nora who was behind him. "A smart jock is a load of #$% if you ask me."

"I wouldn't call myself smart," Tristen said. "Just not completely stupid. I thought you were trying to get rid of me Nora. Why'd you catch up to me if you hate me?"

Nora walked up so she was side by side to Tristen. Glancing over at her, Tristen noticed that Nora was looking down. "You looked lonely," Nora grumbled. Now, Tristen could have misjudging it, but Nora had said it quiet enough so that only he could hear it, not loud enough for it to be picked up on the cameras themselves. Nora then straightened up, looking emotionless. "I wanted to rub in your loss once it comes to pass," Nora said without feeling.

"We won't lose," Tristen said confidently. "Even if we do, I'd win in a tie breaker against Bruce. You can't just get rid of me that easy Nora. Why don't you just let me help you?"

"Hmph. You're less skilled in observation than I thought," Nora drawled. "The tie-breakers are sheerly randomized. That's who the Fire Idols work, so that must be how ties work as well. You have the same odds Bruce does in a tie, and knowing my skills in observation, I can tell Bruce how to indirectly win."

Tristen remained silent for a moment, not doubting for a second that what Nora was telling him was true. However, she was _telling_ him, which meant his theory about her indirectly wanted help seemed like a possibility. Maybe… "Why do you wear your hood?" he asked her.

Nora went rigid. "Stay on task," Nora grumbled.

"Answer the question."

"You don't own me. You aren't the boss of me. You will go home next Tristen and there is nothing you can do to help yourself or me. So quit trying to, alright?"

Tristen bit his tongue for a moment before deciding to risk it. "You're right. I don't own you," Tristen said. "But who does own you?"

"YOU CAN'T HELP ME TRISTEN!" Nora screamed. She spun on her heel and stared directly into Tristen's eyes. She seemed angry, almost enough so that she would willingly shove Tristen off the stairs and into the chimney below. But Tristen saw Nora's eyes… and they did not read the same as her face. "Quit trying already, or I _will_ have to hurt you."

Nora turned back around and started to go forward. However, before she got too far, Tristen put a hand on her shoulder, making her pause. "I won't stop trying," Tristen said. "Hurt me if you want to. That's not going to make me stop making sure that you are alright." Tristen walked past Nora, who seemed to completely freeze.

 **Confessional: But this is Fire Island, not Ice Island! You can't physically freeze here!**

 **Tristen:** (Seems to click something in his mind.) **She reacted to everything I said, just as I thought she would. She really** _ **does**_ **want my help… she just doesn't know how to** _ **get**_ **it. Alright, I understand. Until I find a way for us to talk, I'm going to have to give it my best and try not to lose these challenges. If we don't lose, Nora won't be forced to vote me off, right? I just have to keep that in mind as I play these next few rounds.**

 **Nora:** (She looks stony faced, lacking all facial expressions.) **Tristen is reaching for something he cannot possibly understand. He's wrapping his head around theories that aren't remotely right. If he keeps digging, he'll only hurt himself more and more. I've warned him several times… and if we lose… I** _ **will**_ **have to make sure he suffers the greatest punishment I can give him. I don't have a choice in this anymore.** (Her eyes seemed to get wet.) **He better pray we don't lose…**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Toward the back of the group, as Kellie and Gracie held the lead, Randall had brought himself to the very back. He had figured that he might as well try to slow things down and make things a close call, just to irritate the audience. He chuckled to himself, putting both hands behind his head. "I think maybe I might try playing the villain in the All Stars season," Randall mused. "I might be pretty good at it too, so there's always that to think about."

"If I make it to the All Stars, I'll have a lot of friends to brutally murder!" Roxanne giggled as Randall caught up to her. "Can I kill you then Randall? Maybe then you can finish your life before I have to end it!"

"We'll see about that," Randall chuckled. "Look, I'm not typically one for apologies, but sorry if I seemed a bit over the top frustrated with you yesterday. I still am your number one fan, but I can only handle so much villainy at once. So, in case you thought you'd kill me because we weren't friends anymore, we are still close friends."

"Aw, thanks Randy!" Roxanne giggled.

Randall flinched. "Don't call me Randy," Randall said flatly. "That's my brother's name. I. Hate. My. Brother. Say, after the contest, want to come by my place and kill him? I don't think he'd mind at all, a little death wouldn't kill him, now would it?"

Roxanne seemed to glow at the mention of killing Randall's brother. "You totally made my day!" Roxanne giggled. "How should I kill him? Maybe I can impale all his vital organs and then serve them on a kabob? That'd be fun! Maybe I can grill him on a grill alive and then slowly slice him open and have him bleed to death! That'd be fun too!"

Whatever you think is best, I'll be behind it one hundred percent," Randall chuckled. In his head, he was thinking, _Well, I guess Roxanne is not only the best villain in the game, but in real life too. She could be pretty useful in getting rid of a lot of people I despise… and knowing me, I despise a lot of people. Roxanne, this is the blooming of a long lasting relationship outside the game._

 **Confessional: Oh dear…**

 **Roxanne:** (Looks carefully at the walls of the confessional.) **You ever get the feeling that there is a spirit inside of this thing that confesses it's feelings whenever we come in here?** (A giant evil grin appears on Roxanne's face.) **Can I kill it? Maybe I can destroy it with a crucifix! I can make one out of Kellie's bones! Ooo, that'd be so much fun to do to! I'll add it to my growing list of things to do and murder! Yay!** (She giggles.)

 **Randall: Roxanne is a simple person who has one desire. I might have villainous intentions, but who am I to rob Roxanne of her desires? Sure, I do have to deal with the whole 'Roxanne wants to kill me too' thing, but I'm sure I can feed her some well-placed words and make it so she waits a long time to actually kill me. I think she'd be a good ally to have in real life.** (Chuckles.) **Never hurts to be prepared for life's challenges.**

 **(Lying Lava)**

As Tristen had walked far ahead of Nora, Nora was still frozen in her one spot. She hadn't seemed to get a grip over herself to move, even though she very much wanted to win the challenge. But the thoughts swirling around in her head seemed to keep her cemented into place.

 _Tristen wants to help me… I can't let him,_ Nora thought to herself. _I don't want Redrick to hurt him. If Tristen gets close to me… if he appears to be someone I… trust… Redrick will… he will… no! I can't… I can't let Redrick hurt Tristen. Because… because…_

"Because pirates are adorable in their little hats!" Angelina giggled, catching up to Nora and jumping on her head. "Wait, no, that's Kellie's plotline. Wrong one! You were pondering about Mr. Boss, weren't you?"

Nora blinked, snapping out of her otherwise frozen state. "No, I was not thinking about… wait, who are you talking about?" Nora asked. "Wait… Tristen?"

"Yep! Mr. Boss!" Angelina giggled, jumping off of Nora's head and landing in front of her. "You know, he's a funny guy! Not in the why that _I'm_ funny! He's… not what I expected, you know? If there was one person here that I can say changed me… it's him. And Sherry, she was fun!"

Nora blinked, but kept her emotionless face. "I don't know what you mean," Nora sad flatly. "Tristen is the one contestant who simply is in the way. I have to get rid of him because he's hindering my chances in winning this game. What you have to say will not change my thoughts on him."

"Because you love him!" Angelina giggled.

"What? Have you ignored everything I just told you?" Nora said without any hint of anything in her voice. "You are as brainless as you fake to be."

"Aw, don't call me brainless! I prefer forged naive child from a strange world known as an alley!" Angelina giggled. "Besides, no need for insults! I like Mr. Boss too, just not as heavily as you! Then again, I'm not that heavy! I only way 131 pounds!"

Nora's eye twitched in annoyance. "I hate you for some reason," Nora said. "I wonder what it could possibly be. I don't know… maybe it's because…"

"I remind you of your sister?" Angelina guessed with a giggle. "Fourth wall breaking! Fun every time I do it! What do you think about breaking the fourth… wall… Nora?"

Nora, immediately after hearing Angelina's first statement, had suddenly changed her facial expression. It wasn't anger or frustration. It was… sad. "Keep your mouth shut Angelina," Nora said, walking past her, but not before a tear dropped from her eye. "No one likes an annoying girl who gets herself into trouble." Nora, without another word, walked away from Angelina, trying to get her tears to stop.

"Well… someone had to love Dora!" Angelina said. "Seriously, what kind of parents let their daughter go out in the big world with a klepto fox always stalking her? I just don't understand who would do that!"

 **Confessional: Bad parents?**

 **Angelina: I mean, then again, my parents** _ **do**_ **let me keep pet raccoons! Well, they aren't really** _ **pets**_ **. They're more like my roommates! We stay up at all hours of the night talking about how flamingos are really pink! Seriously! This one time, I went to the zoo and this one flamingo was so pink, it seemed like it was in love with someone! Turned out it loved shrimp! Yay for pink flamingos!**

 **Nora:** (She looks stone faced.) **No emotion… no emotion… no emotion… not even for Lis. I care for no one in this world. I have no one holding me back form my potential. I cannot… let anything… keep me… from…** (Her eyes become wet.) **I have nothing more to say.** (She leaves the confessional quickly.)

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

Roxanne had sped ahead, leaving Randall alone in the very back. He didn't mind, of course, as he was a sneak, and sneaks liked to plan things on their own. Randall was thinking hard to himself when he happened to notice Gracie trailing back near him. He gave a giant smirk and approached her. "How's my second favorite villain doing?" Randall said.

"Oh, um, hi," Gracie said with a nervous smile. "I'm doing ok. I had a somewhat decent conversation with Roxanne, so I guess your allies are getting along. Um… so… you're voting for Kellie tonight like I wanted, right?"

"Oh yeah, that's no problem," Randall shrugged. "Kellie's starting to be a loose cannon. I'm afraid she's starting to think she can get rid of anyone she hates. And considering this team… she hates pretty much all of us, Roxanne the most."

"Um… sure… she hates Roxanne the most," Gracie said, rubbing her arm. "Say, um… since we're allies and all, I think you should know that Boomer and Kellie are dating. If we vote off Kellie, we might end up sending Boomer after us. Just as a… um… heads up and all."

Randall thought about this for a few moments. "I'm not worried," Randall said simply. "Boomer has no power on this team without Kellie. Roxanne, you, and me have total control of this team. Unless one of us flip, Kellie will go and Boomer will be stuck. Just stick to the plan and we'll be safe for the rest of the team phase."

Gracie bit her lip. "Right… we're set so long as we all follow the plan…" Gracie said. "You don't think Roxanne would flip on us, would you?"

"She's Roxanne. She might be a villainous murderer, but she's otherwise very naïve," Randall said flatly. "I just need to talk to her before the elimination and boom, the votes settled. Besides, this challenge isn't the safest challenge in the world. With our luck, Roxanne will push Kellie down the chimney and get her injured. No worries."

Gracie seemed to pale. "Well… um… I guess that'll work out," Gracie said awkwardly. "I guess we'll have to… see how it turns out. Um… mind if I walk alone? I have some… things I have to think about…"

"Sure. I have to plot Roxanne's total takeover of the world," Randall nodded. Gracie nodded and quickly walked off by herself. Randall nodded and let out a sigh. "I love villains, but sometimes the sidekicks are underrated. Seriously, she might have the world, but hopefully she remembers who planned on getting it for her," Randall chuckled.

 **Confessional: I agree, the sidekicks are underrated.**

 **Randall: Like I keep saying, Gracie's a great villain to train. True, she's a bit soft, but she's still asking all the right questions.** (Ponders something for a few moments.) **You know, if Roxanne gets voted off, and I highly doubt she will, Gracie would make a sufficient backup villain. I'd live with aiding her to the end. Still though, Roxanne's the top villain this season, so I'm not worried about her getting voted off.**

 **Gracie:** (Looks even more nervous than before.) **Oh no, oh no, oh no no no! Kellie's going to get hurt… and Boomer's going to hate me… crap! And Kellie's going to kill me if I vote for her or Boomer… no! This is all too stressful for me! I need to save Kellie… I need to vote for Roxanne! I'm so confused though… who do I vote for? Who do I vote for? WHO DO I VOTE FOR?!**

 **(Behind Amy and Sammy's Trailer)**

Sammy was currently behind her trailer, dressed in her typical cheerleading outfit. She was hauling what appeared to be some kind of oats. She was grumbling to herself as she brought it out back over to Asszilla, who was tied to a post.

"Of course Amy would stick me with Asszilla duty," Sammy muttered, pulling it over to Asszilla. She opened it up and set it next to the post. "There. Have fun… ouch!" Sammy rubbed her butt and scowled at Asszilla, who looked innocent, as if he didn't just bite her ass. "You're just as bad as Bernard…"

Asszilla seemed to shrug and buried his face in the bag of oats. Sammy sighed, shaking her head. "Sometimes I wish I were you," Sammy said, walking over and sitting next to Asszilla. "Better to be an ass than Amy's #$%. You're a lucky ass Asszilla, for having someone who cares about you so much."

Asszilla whinnied, making Sammy smile a little. "Your right, your right," Sammy giggled. "I might have _someone_ try to watch over me, which assures me a little bit." Sammy paused for a moment. "You know, you're really easy to talk to. I can see why Bernard likes you so much."

Asszilla seemed to give Sammy a look that said, 'Of course dumbass. Now shut up and let me eat my oats.' Sammy giggled, but merely shrugged, getting up and leaving Asszilla to her business.

 **(Lying Lava)**

At the very top of the chimneys, two people of each team managed to get to the top. On the Lying Lava's chimney, Bruce and Tristen had easily reached the top. Tristen got down and starting doing pushups while Bruce rested on one of the sides, taking this chance to relax for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.

"So Tristen," Bruce started.

"I'm not voting for Nora," Tristen said simply. "She's struggling more than you and I realize. She needs to be here for some reason and I need to figure out why. I refuse to make any deal with you, as she needs this far more than you do."

Bruce scowled, looking at Tristen in annoyance. "Tristen, don't be rash," he said. "Angelina is immune and Nora gave me a strict one time alliance offer. If we lose, I'm voting for you unless you help me get rid of Nora. It's the only way to save yourself Tristen."

Tristen thought about it… for a literal moment. "Nope," he said. "I trust Nora. I know she wants me gone for bigger reasons than just me being a threat in challenges. I'm not joining you to dash her chances. Even if it does get me eliminated, she's not going anywhere."

 **DING!**

"Of course _now,_ " Bruce grumbled, glaring at Tristen. "Fine, we'll sing. I'll make you see."

"Good luck," Tristen said flatly.

 **Song 6: See It My Way (The tune is similar to We Three Kings)**

 **Tristen: Bruce, I won't vote off Nora, she is special so she must stay.**

 **Bruce: But dear Tristen, she can't stay because she'll get right in my way.**

 **Tristen: Since when did this contest become about you?**

 **Bruce: Ever since this team was brand new.**

 **Both: You won't see it, never believe it, because you just can't see it my way!**

 **Bruce: Tristen, look, she is not your friend.**

 **Tristen: But, Bruce, this won't be the end.**

 **She's needs me and I won't abandon her even if you get in my way!**

 **Bruce: Why won't you get it in your head?**

 **She's no friend, she'll leave you for dead.**

 **Tristen: But Bruce, why can't you see?**

 **While you need you, she really needs me.**

 **Bruce: I don't get it, I thought you were smart.**

 **Or did you just follow your heart?**

 **It does not matter, you cannot surrender, vote with me or your time here will end!**

Tristen and Bruce finished singing their somewhat brief song and glared at each other. Finally, after what seemed like forever for Bruce, Tristen finally answered. "No," he said. "You don't see what I see in her. She has to stay."

Bruce scowled. "Then when you go home, it will be on you," Bruce said.

 **Confessional: Well, the tension couldn't be higher, could it?**

 **Tristen:** (Gives out a sigh before shaking his head.) **I don't really have a choice. Nora needs me and she can't tell me while she's on camera. Angelina's immune anyway, but I wouldn't vote for her because she needs me to. If I have to take the brunt of this, then so be it. Bruce is the only real option here, and if that's how this has to go, fine, so be it.**

 **Bruce:** (Sighs and shakes his head in annoyance.) **I gave him a chance to see things my way. If he refuses to vote off Nora, then I don't have a choice but to vote off Tristen. It might tie, but I doubt it'll be anything too hard. Besides, there's no guarantee we'll lose… I'm just assuming we will.**

 **(Valiant Volcanos)**

The two teams were close. Roxanne and Kellie had both reached the top of their chimney, and by the looks of things, Randall and Gracie were closer to the top than Nora and Angelina. Kellie seemed red in the face with anticipation. "COME ON ALREADY!" Kellie screamed. "THE SUSPENSE IS #$% KILLING ME!"

"Really? I thought I was supposed to be doing that!" Roxanne said innocently, giving a little pout. "Oh well! I guess I could just remove your eyeballs and use them to poison you in your sleep tonight! Well, unless Randall tells me to vote you off, then I'll just have to kill you now!"

Kellie's eye twitched angrily. "DO YOU THINK I #$% WANT YOU TO KILL ME?! I'LL SHOW YOU DEATH! I'LL RIP YOU IN HALF AND THEN SHOW YOU THE TRUE MEANING OF DEAD!"

Roxanne frowned. "But I thought killing things was _my_ thing!" Roxanne pouted. "Do you not believe me? Am I going soft? I don't like being soft… nope!"

"You're voice is #$% annoying. YOU KNOW THAT YOU LITTLE #$%!" Kellie screamed angrily. "Ugh… where's Boomer when I need to…"

Kellie never got to finish. Right as Gracie and Randall got to the top of chimney, Roxanne went up to Kellie with a giant smile on her face. Without Kellie seeing her, Roxanne grabbed Kellie's back… and pushed. Kellie screamed in surprise as she tumbled forward… right into the chimney.

 _ **SLAM!**_

Kellie groaned as she hit a platform not the far down from the top. She rubbed her head and seemed to go red in the face. However, before Kellie could run up and beat the crap out of Roxanne, a loud horn sounded.

"AND THE CHALLENGE IS OVER!" Topher called from a megaphone. "COME ON DOWN!"

 **(A Few Minutes Later…)**

The nine contestants had gathered back down around Topher, some disappointed, others looking quite excited. "Well, the end of this challenge might have been kind of obvious," Topher said. "Without really any contest, the Lying Lava win the challenge!"

"Aw! Oh well! Useless immunity is fun!" Angelina giggled innocently.

"That means the Valiant Volcanoes will be voting someone out tonight," Topher said with a slightly chuckled. "Seriously, who knew this pattern was so consistent? Anyway, you guys have until tonight to plan who you guys are going to vote for! You'll be seeing Sammy later."

 **Confessional: Well…**

 **Kellie:** (Her eye is twitching uncontrollably.) **THAT LITTLE #%! I'M GOING TO #$% KILL HER! SHE MADE US LOSE THE CHALLENGE! SHE MADE US FAIL! SHE #$% PISSED ME OFF! SHE'S GOING TO #$% GET IT! SHE WANTS DEATH, SO I'M GOING TO #$% GIVE IT TO HER!**

 **Gracie:** (Looks absolutely relieved.) **Oh, thank** _ **goodness**_ **Kellie survived! Although… since she wasn't up with us… we didn't win… and Kellie is going to be super pissed… crap, I didn't want to do this today! Oh no, oh no, oh no! What am I going to do?**

 **(Fire House)**

After the challenge, Boomer and Kellie both retreated to Kellie's room. Kellie was currently pounding on one of the walls while Boomer said on her bed. Kellie seemed super steamed about how they had lost the challenge, and Boomer was afraid about how he was going to address it. Finally, he said, "SO, UH… ANYTHING I CAN DO?"

"YOU CAN SHUT THE #$% UP!" Kellie screamed. "ROXANNE SHOVED ME OFF THE CHIMNEY! SHE #$% SHOVED ME OFF! WHO THE #$% DOES THAT? I'M GOING TO #$% _DESTROY_ HER! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GOING PIRATE!" Boomer chuckled. He then got up, walked over to her, and kissed her. Kellie, for some reason, calmed down, if only just a little. "LOOK, WE CAN ALWAYS VOTE HER OFF TONIGHT! YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET TOO OVERLY MAD! JUST CALM DOWN AND TAKE DEEP BREATHS!"

Kellie did as Boomer instructed, calming down. She finally gave him an attempted smile and then sighed. "Sorry Boomer. I know it's hard to deal with me," Kellie sighed. "Roxanne? It'd help me calm down… at least a little."

"SURE THING! I TALKED TO GRACIE YESTERDAY AND SHE WAS VOTING THE SAME WAY ANYWAY!" Boomer said with a smile. "EVERYTHING SHOULD GO SMOOTHLY TONIGHT! YOU'LL SEE!"

"Normally the optimism would tick me off… but I believe you," Kellie sighed.

 **Confessional: Optimism ticking someone off? Is that irony?**

 **Kellie:** (Sighs in defeat.) **Randall's going to #$% vote me off… and I think Gracie's on his #$% side. There's no #$% way I can #$% do this… BUT I'M GOING TO #$% TRY! YOU HEAR ME YOU #$% #$%?! I WILL #$% RIP YOU APART IF YOU** _ **DARE**_ **TRY TO MESS WITH ME AND MY BOYFRIEND! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!** (She blinks in surprise.) **Huh, I do sound like a pirate.**

 **Boomer: I'M NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT KELLIE! I TRUST GRACIE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND I THINK THAT THREE VOTES WILL BE ENOUGH TO GET RID OF ROXANNE! I MIGHT BE THE TARGET TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE A BIG DEAL! I DO FIND IT FUNNY THOUGH THAT EVERY TIME WE GET A NUMBER'S ADVANTAGE, WE END UP LOSING IT! NOT LIKE IT MATTERS ANYWAY, SINCE WE HAVE TO SIT SOMEONE OUT EVERY DAY!**

Outside of the Fire House, Randall was pacing back and forth. Roxanne was sitting on the ground next to his rock, painting something that looked like her beheading Randall. She let out a creepy giggle as she finished, smiling at Randall. "I'm done!" she said. "See Randall? Now when you go to sleep, you'll dream about me killing you! Isn't that awesome?!"

"Sure Roxanne, because I so totally look forward to you killing me," Randall said sarcastically. "Now, I talked to Gracie during the challenge and we've come to an agreement. Kellie indeed _is_ the next one to go. She's starting to look at me funny, and while I would happily get myself eliminated to save you, this is easily averted. So, we're voting off Kellie tonight."

"Ok!" Roxanne giggled. "I tried killing her today, but it didn't really work. I think my angle was a bit off. Maybe I should try stabbing her in the back and then push her from the front! That way, the knife will plunge into her more when she makes impact!"

Randall seemed to be intrigued by this. "You know, I know a lot of different people with a lot of different crafts," he admitted. "But I do have to say… I admire how you work. You're pretty good with plotting people's deaths, especially when those people are random."

"It's a gift!" Roxanne giggled. "Mr. N always says I've always been good at spontaneous murder! Unlike his daughter though. His daughter is about my age and she isn't like me, nope! She won't hurt a fly! I bet Mr. N wishes I was his daughter! Maybe I can kill his daughter! That'll make him happy!"

"Once you win this contest, go for it," Randall shrugged. "In the meantime, I'll go take a quick nap. I want to ready myself before Kellie explodes tonight. I'd much rather not be torn apart from a raging girl who's always ticked off."

 **Confessional: Who would Randall?**

 **Randall: You know, with the other two eliminations, they were pretty hard compared to this. It's like Kellie keeled over and died. I wish this elimination was a bit more of a challenge, but it quite frankly is an easy one. Not that I mind of course, I hate planning all the time, but maybe something a bit more challenging could come my way at the next elimination ceremony.**

 **Roxanne:** (Giggles to herself, holing up a keychain. The chain had what appeared to be a real heart on it.) **I got this from a rat trying to eat one of the dead animal carcasses in my room! It was so pretty I decided to keep it with me forever! Yay!**

Gracie was in her bedroom, alone. She seemed super nervous and was pacing back and forth all over the room. It was pretty obvious as to why Gracie was so nervous, and that was because of the elimination. "Oh, what do I do?!" Gracie said. "No matter what I do, I betray someone I'm allied with! Do I hurt Boomer and Kellie, or do I hurt Randall?"

Gracie sighed. "If I hurt Boomer, I might win this game," she said. "Randall has no desire to win himself and if Roxanne gets voted off later, he'll be sworn to help me and only me. That kind of loyalty is great and having that with me to the end would be something no one else would be able to have."

"On the other hand, if I hurt Randall, I get to keep my friend. Boomer has always been there and helped me through the tough times. I might have made mistakes, but Boomer was there to let me know that things would be ok. I couldn't ask for a better friend than him."

Gracie sighed, but right as she did, an intercom turned on. "Valiant Volcanos, time for you to vote!" Topher announced. "Head for the Eruption of Shame and Sammy will see you there in a moment!"

"Look like I'm out of time," Gracie sighed.

 **(Eruption of Shame)**

The five members of the Valiant Volcanos had arrived at the Eruption of Shame. As they sat down, Sammy walked up to her podium, offering the five a small smile. "Like always, I'll, um… ask a few questions and then we'll, um… vote," Sammy said. "Randall, you upset that you lost the challenge?"

"Me? Nah, not really," Randall shrugged. "Losing a challenge just means another person gone, leaving the total of members to four. The less members, the more controllable this team is."

"I guess that is, um, true," Sammy admitted. "Kellie, since you were, um… pushed down the chimney, do you think you might get votes?"

"I BETTER #$% NOT!" Kellie roared angrily. "ROXANNE #$% PUSHED ME! IT WASN'T MY #$% FAULT! IF ANYONE SHOULD BE VOTED OFF TONIGHT, IT SHOULD BE HER!"

"I see…" Sammy said fearfully. "Um… one more… Gracie. How did you decide to vote tonight?"

Gracie let out a sigh before nodding to herself. "I decided to follow Roxanne's advice earlier today," she said confidently. "I'm voting out a distraction that's been hounding on me since day one. She needs to go and she knows why she needs to go."

"I guess we'll have to find out who that is," Sammy gulped. "Boomer, you can start…"

After Roxanne had cast the final vote, Sammy went off to tally them. Once she was finished, she returned with four slices of bacon. "I have four slices of bacon," Sammy said. "The person who doesn't get a slice is eliminated and has to, um… take the Eruption of Shame off this island. Um… I guess the first one safe is… Gracie."

"Randall."

"Boomer."

Kellie and Roxanne both sat without a marshmallow. Roxanne had a big grin on her face and Kellie looked almost ready to explode. Sammy gulped nervously and held up the final slice of bacon. "One of you is safe, the other one isn't," she gulped. "And the person safe is…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Kellie," Sammy said, tossing her to final slice of bacon, making Kellie sigh in relief.

Roxanne blinked… the giggled. "Good job Gracie! I'm proud of you!" Roxanne laughed, bouncing up to the Eruption of Shame. "Say, does this thing spew real lava? Can I push you into it? Can I watch your corpse burn? Can I watch everyone on this island burn? Can everyone _die_ painfully and torturously?"

"Um… no?" Sammy gulped. "Roxanne, you officially placed ninth… now bye!" Sammy instantly jumped onto the Eruption of Shame, sending Roxanne flying. Instead of screaming, Roxanne laughed, all the way until she fell out of sight. "Took you guys long enough… you can go," Sammy said in relief.

 **Confessional: Well… who saw that one coming?**

 **Randall:** (Looks absolutely surprised by the outcome.) **Whoa… good job Gracie! You just sealed your villainous fate! You must have felt threatened by Roxanne's villainy and decided to over throw her so that** _ **you**_ **could be the top villain! I must say, I am thoroughly impressed with this… even though Roxanne's gone. But who cares! I found a better villain in this contest…**

 **Boomer:** (He has a big grin on his face.) **I KNEW GRACIE WOULD CHOSE THE CORRECT PATH! NOW THAT WE OFFICIALLY HAVE THE MAJORITY, RANDALL WILL GO NEXT, AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY BE AT THE MERGE AT THAT POINT! I MIGHT NOT BE GOOD AT STRATEGY, BUT I THINK I'M DOING WELL FOR AN AMATEUR!**

 **Gracie: Ooo… I just hope Randall doesn't kill me…**

 **(Outro)**

Topher stood in front of the camera with a smile. "And with that elimination, Roxanne is _finally_ off the island!" Topher said in relief. "Seriously, we were getting WAY too many law suits for her being on this show! So, what will happen next? Will Gracie be able to get through tomorrow? Will Tristen find something out he didn't want to? Can Bruce worm his way to the next round? And who will be voted off next time? Find out on the next episode of Total Drama Fire Island!"

 **Votes**

 **Voting Confessional: Where things are just heating up!**

 **Boomer: I KNOW KELLIE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL HERSELF ONCE EVERYONE WHO MAKES HER MAD IS GONE! GRANTED, EVERYONE MAKES HER MAD, BUT I'M SURE THAT ONCE ROXANNE IS GONE, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH TOMORROW AT LEAST WITH LESS EXPLODING! I VOTE FOR ROXANNE!**

 **Gracie:** (Lets out a hefty sigh.) **I… vote for Roxanne. She has to go… and I'm sure everyone knows why. I hope that Randall won't be too mad at me… but I'm sure things will work out! They always… do… I'm going to regret this, aren't I?**

 **Kellie: I vote for Roxanne. Why? BECAUSE WHY THE #$% WOULDN'T I?! ARRRRRRRRRRRGH! AND I'M NOT A #$% PIRATE! I NEVER #$% WAS A PIRATE, AND I NEVER #$% WILL BE! SO #$% OFF!**

 **Randall: I realized something else too. After this elimination, it'll be a lot quieter, since all this yelling will be elsewhere.** (He sighs in relief.) **This plan is appealing to me more and more as I think about it. I, with a happy heart, vote for Kellie.**

 **Roxanne: I know I'm going home! Randall doesn't, but I do! Thanks Gracie! Nice chat we had earlier! I hope everyone dies murderously and everything ends in blood and charred bodies! I vote for none other than Kellie, for being the most tempting attempted kill I tried to attempt to kill! I'll dream of liquefying your body and drinking it for my morning coffee!** (Giggles.)

Teams

Lying Lava: Angelina, Bruce, Nora, Tristen

Valiant Volcanos: Boomer, Gracie, Kellie, Randall

Eliminated: Jackal (L), Tara (V), Sherry (L), Jeremy (V), Bernard (L), Roxanne (V)

 **BN: Well, now that was a long episode. Sorry if this one was a little boring, I think my hands died halfway through it. Also, as the cast gets smaller, the chapters might get a bit shorter. So, if the chapters start not being 5-10 thousand words, I apologize! Now, onto the part of these chapters you care about!**

 **ELIMINATION: ROXANNE**

 **Going into this, I never thought I'd get a more diversely liked contestant than Roxanne. I have people who love her, I have people who despise her, and not very middle in between. Roxanne didn't end up how I intended, which was a simple girl who accidently kept succeeding in evil plots to take over the world. Instead, I ended up with this Roxanne… who actually ended up creating a few things for this series that you don't know about yet.**

 **As a character, I think Roxanne was different from most others. Unlike CB's Uzuri, she** _ **wanted**_ **to kill everything she saw. As you can see with Jeremy, she wasn't afraid to kill someone just for fun. However, I also think that, psychologically, Roxanne was a lesson. If you get too wrapped up into something too much, you'll be addicted to it, and therefore, can't stop doing more of it.**

 **As a contestant, Roxanne was meant to be a pretty big role… but NOT the main antagonist. I meant her to** _ **seem**_ **like the main antagonist, but she was never the spotlight of this season. However, I did thoroughly enjoy writing her, especially her relationship with Gracie, which was more or less predator taunting prey. Roxanne could also be a deep character, like her conversation with Randall in the previous episode. All in all, Roxanne was probably one of my favorite characters to write.**

 **Thing was, Roxanne** _ **could not**_ **be the winner. There was no realistic way Roxanne could have won this season and there are other reasons as to way she placed so low. However, unlike the others, I can't really say why she placed this low just yet. Everything will be revealed in due time.**

 **Love or hate her, Roxanne will always place ninth in the contest, but either one or fourteen in our hearts.**

 **Like? Hate? Meh? Let me know via review! I appreciate the feedback!**

 **Next Time:** The tension seems to be lower on the Valiant Volcanoes, but things just got real on the Lying Lava. A secret is revealed, a concern is addressed, and a challenge is issued. What is the challenge? Well, they aren't called the Rings of Fire for nothing, now are they?


End file.
